Even the Darkest of Hearts
by Aria Daughter of Chaos
Summary: Co written with Lab7417! AU of S4 Ep 12: what if someone was there and everything that happened, wasn't as it was? Kol makes a promise to two people who have lost so much. Read inside for the rest of the summary
1. Prologue

**Even the Darkest of Hearts**

 **Written by Aria and Lab7417**

 **Summary: AU S4 Episode 12 'A view to a kill'-what if someone was there and everything that happened, wasn't as it was? Kol makes a promise to two people who have lost much and spirits them away to New Orleans where they end up tangled up in the drama…and remeet the Originals. What will happen in the Crescent City? Will love bloom or will it wither and die?**  
 **Pairings: Elejah-Stebekah-Datherine-Kennett-Klaroline-Jeremy/Davina with two past Caroline/Marcel and Tyler/Caroline**

 **Disclaimer: I'm going to be honest people-if I had owned this, Elejah-Stebekah-Kennett-Klaroline would be real but considering who does own it and what's actually canon, I don't**

* * *

Prologue:

The first thing that came to her was the fact that her neck was snapped-a first for everything-and the second was the hands cupping her cheeks. Elena Gilbert looked up to see who was cradling her cheeks.

"Matt? What's goin' on?" she got out in a groggy voice and Matt chuckled.

"What's the last thing you remember?" She thought about it and she was paling faster than ever.

"I saw a text on my phone and I went here," she looked around the boardinghouse with wide eyes. She saw Stefan was behind him with a sad expression. "…the last thing was me checking the text message and Damon was in front of me…"

"Katherine's portraying you again and this time, she wants to find the cure, shove it down your throat and hand you over to Klaus." Stefan told her with sad he wanted her human, he would prefer her to be happy as well.

She managed to get up and as she moved to walk, she was entirely too weak until Matt fearlessly handed her his wrist which she drank from, her fangs piercing the skin. She only took enough to fill her up a little bit and to make her seem both on the cheek, she flashed over to her house where she saw her doppelgänger, Damon and Kol Mikaelson in an all out brawl.

Looking around, she grabbed some of the neighbor's white pieces of wood from their fence and in a Klaus-like manor, she threw them, piercing Damon in the gut and Katherine near the heart, giving Kol enough time to leave.

VVVV

Kol was an opportunist by nature and quickly saw an opening to escape. While he would have loved to rip Elena Gilbert and Damon Salvatore to shreds he held self-preservation in high-esteem. He had managed to escape the Gilbert residence when another doppelgänger intervened and for a second, he thought it was Katherine until he heard her speak and knew that it wasn't.

His savior was Elena Gilbert.

VVVV

Elena was angry with Damon and this time, she knew that she would never forgive him.

"You and Katherine not only tried to kill Kol but you both had the nerve to make it seem like it was my idea?" With each word she spoke, her fury rose. "I want you both out of my life and to never come near my family and friends again."Turning on her heel, she left the house and walked down the street where Kol met her.

"So it wasn't you doppelgänger." He smirked at her, not at all fazed at what nearly happened. "What do you want to do now?"She gave him a rueful smile.

"As everyone believes that I was in on the plan to kill you," she had a feeling that her sadness was going to flutter up and consume her. "I have nowhere to go and now, no friends."She had thought that was true because lately, every time she spoke with one of them, they always seem to say cruel things to her and she was tired of could feel his humanity slowly return as he took in the depressed look in her eyes.

"I know someone in New Orleans who owes me a favor or two so I can spirit you there and make myself scarce," he offered.

"I'm going with you." The two turned to stare at Caroline Forbes, standing there with a dark look in her eyes. "I'm going with you and there's no way for you to stop me."Elena walked tentatively towards her but Caroline flashed herself into Elena's arms, silently crying as she whispered what happened to make her want to leave.

"Katherine and Damon killed my mom. There's no one else left in my family and I can't be alone anymore."

"The two of us will be sisters-Elena and Caroline Forbes," Elena whispered. "I don't want to use the Gilbert name."

"How about instead of Forbes we use Sommers?" Caroline sniffed. Elena smiled and nodded. That day, sisters Elena and Caroline Sommers were born while Elena Gilbert and Caroline Forbes died.

Kol, true to his word, spirited them out of Mystic Falls and sent them to New Orleans.

VVVV

Bonnie ran as fast as she could when she saw it-the door to the Forbes residence was opened. She barely made it a step inside where she saw the sheriff dead, her neck at a bad angle. What in the world had happened? Bonnie had been walking over to see Caroline when she had felt a sense of danger and seen the door wide open. A sob tore through her and suddenly arms went around her. Looking up, she saw Kol Mikaelson there.

The scream she was about to emit never came as his hand moved to her mouth and she tossed in his arms, trying to push him away. Fear pumped through her and the want to use Expression grew until she heard Kol's voice. She must be out of the loop. Wasn't it Jeremy and Damon's big plan to kill Kol with Elena's help? Anger filtered through her after her confusion. He must have killed Liz! It was the only thing that made sense when he was there.

Right?

She nearly bit him until his voice hit her again, repeating what he had said earlier to her.

"It's okay, relax," he soothed. "Caroline and Elena are going to be fine but for now, pretend that I'm dead and both girls are on the run. Can you do that?" Looking at her, he whispered. "I would never hurt the Sheriff. I got here when you did though I had been told that this was Katerina and Damon's doing."

Bonnie nodded, she knew that the girls were planning on leaving but she never knew why-the plan was made when it was discovered that Elena had a sire bond to Damon and she hated it. Before, it was all just made up of where they wanted to go but lately, that plan was becoming more and more enticing. Bonnie was now realizing that Katherine must not only be portraying Elena and ruining her life again but she, along with Damon, also killed the sheriff, whom she was staring at with tears in her eyes.

A new wave of anger floated through her and she wanted to kill not only Damon but Katherine as well.

 _If I ever find them I_ _'_ _ll kill them slowly_ she thought coldly. Kol looked at her with a dark smile as though he knew what she was thinking.

"They're safe but please-pretend that they're on the run." He whispered and at her nod, he removed himself from her and walked away from her.

She waited a bit before calling the station and saying, "Damon Salvatore killed Sheriff Forbes."She hung up and made her way back to her house where she let out her anger through her dark magic by destroying most of the things in her room.

She wanted everything in this god forsaken little town to be perfect and non-supernatural but the reality was that this place was like one of the largest homing beacons for every known supernatural creature in existence. She wanted to leave but she couldn't. She couldn't leave and so, as she made her way to the kitchen robotically, she promised herself that most of the people here were going to regret pissing off a Bennett witch.

Especially the elder Salvatore and Katherine Pierce.

First things first, she had to call Caroline and Elena to inform them of Liz's death and then she had to go to the funeral. She had been to too many lately. It was something that she had vowed not to do again but she'll do it for Liz Forbes. Her second mother next to her grandmother, Sheila, and she wept for both.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1:**

Jeremy, Matt and Stefan were all sitting in the Gilbert house while Damon and Katherine were shacking up in his bed at the boardinghouse when Kol walked at first made a move to attack him but Stefan pushed him back gently.

"Sorry mate," Kol smirked at him. "No hard feelings?"

"Go to hell." Jeremy spat.

"Try living with Esther Mikaelson. That's hell enough." He said with a snort. "Enough of the pleasantries-I need you all to spread the rumor of my death while I make sure that no one goes after that damned cure because there's only enough for one person and the side effects of it would make all of you wish that it never existed."

Jeremy tensed and Kol noticed. "You never wanted to go searching for it." He realized.

"Your brother, Klaus, wanted it found for Elena-I don't care if she's a vampire or a human. She's still here with me and I'm grateful for that."

Kol smiled at him and shook his hand again. "Do you want to try this friendship thing again?"

Jeremy nodded and Matt turned to Stefan. "The Grill is the place to tell everyone in the know that Kol's dead."

"Why do you want to be dead? Your brothers and sister are going to be upset," Matt said.

"We need to deal with this cure nonsense once and for all. The best way for me to do that is anonymously."Stefan looked at Matt and nodded as Matt got up to leave. Once he was gone, Stefan turned to Kol.

"Are they safe?" He nodded.

"An old friend of mine is going to protect them and besides-who would search for Caroline and Elena Sommers?"Jeremy and Stefan gave shark like smirks to Kol who returned said smirk easily.

So far, three people were on his side and were going to make this interesting.

VVVV

After leaving the Gilbert home later on that evening, Kol decided to stop by Bonnie's house and check on her. Before he even entered the house he had been invited into he felt uneasy. At first he chalked it up to the events of the day- an attempt on his life and such. However, the nagging feeling simply wouldn't go away. It was a different feeling and he concentrated on the oddity until he realized it was Bonnie. It was the energy his little witch was giving off. He noticed that all of her magic at the moment felt evil and it annoyed him on a much larger scale than he anticipated.

"Are you using Expression?" He asked and at her nod, his anger rose. "You do know that Expression works with a sacrifice of twelve humans, witches and demons like Hybrids right?"

She shook her head. "Atticus Shane said that it was good." He bared his teeth at her.

"Any magic involving sacrifices is not good magic at all!"

"What would you care of good and evil?" Bonnie scoffed.

"I care when it's you! Expression kills witches!"

"Are you saying I can't control it?" Bonnie yelled angrily.

"I'm saying no one can control it!" Kol yelled back. He had to leave before he did something he would regret. Walking over to the door of the house, he opened it and slammed it shut.

He had something that needed to be done and that was compelling those involved in his attempted murder to believe that he was dead.

VVVV

The news-spread fast according to Matt Donovan who made a mention of it to his hybrid buddy Tyler Lockwood- Kol Mikaelson was dead. Following his siblings from a safe distance, he watched each one of them mourned him in their own ways.

"No!" Rebekah had cried out and her normally placid face had erupted into anguished tears.

Kol scoffed, muttering, "oh Bex-you called me a drama queen?" Elijah had gathered her in his arms even as his own emotions came forth. A couple of tears slipped down his cheeks unchecked before his eyes turned cold and hard with the fury he felt. It was a fury directed at a woman he had come to trust. He felt the betrayal like a dagger to the heart and he wanted blood - Elena's blood.

One problem-Elena wasn't at fault. Katerina Petrova and her little pet vampire that she sired - Damon Salvatore - were the two at fault.

Klaus was in the same boat but it wasn't just Elena he wanted dead-it was Caroline as well. She had betrayed him for the vampire who dared kill his beloved baby brother. Klaus' eyes turned amber and his face became menacing. One thing was certain, Kol was glad that he got the girls out of Mystic Falls when he did. Smirking at the thought of all the chaos he could cause now, he began to whistle as he walked back to Bonnie's house where he could smell the dark magic starting again.

Getting inside, he found her with veins up her arms and black eyes. This was the instant that he knew that getting her weaned off Expression would be a daily chore but one he had to undertake.

VVVV

"When I find your sister," Elijah told Jeremy when the hunter not only threatened to kill him but also made sure that he wasn't allowed to set foot inside. "I will kill her; slowly and painfully."

"Then I'll kill you the same way you'd kill her," The Hunter snarled. "You, your bitch of a sister and the hybrid bastard you call a brother if you ever go near my sister. I'll make sure that every other member of the Five also knows to go after you all."

"I'll kill them as well." Jeremy ended up snorting at that.

"So you'll suffer under the Brotherhood's curse? I'd _love_ to see that happen." Elijah made a move to walk in but was halted by Jeremy slamming the door in his face. Once Jeremy made sure that the Original was gone he breathed, as he knew the truth. First thing he needed to do, however, was ask Bonnie to make a spell to rescind every vampire's invitation into his house though he'd keep Kol's invite valid-who else was he going to play video games with?

He decided that Kol needed to know just what Elijah wanted to do.

VVVV

After hanging up with the hunter, Kol now wanted to tell Elijah the truth when he looked to see Katerina (playing Elena Gilbert) walk over to the house but before she got up to the door, Kol ended up compelling her to go to New York with Damon as they needed new identities. He couldn't have them believing that he was alive after going through all the trouble of making those in the know think that he was dead, after all.

He also needed her and Damon out of the way for the moment. Bonnie was being consumed by Expression at an alarming rate and he needed to deal with that first. So he compelled them to forget all about the cure and sent them on their wild goose chase. Sighing, as he watched them leave, he groaned and went back to start helping Bonnie get off of the dark magic.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

"Rise and shine BonBon," Kol said gently but Bonnie bolted upright completely startled that not only was he in her bedroom but he was watching her sleep. He cried out and fell off the bed as he was jolted by several aneurysms. She had become far more powerful than he had anticipated. Finally the pain stopped and Bonnie peered off the opposite side of the bed.

"What are you doing in my bedroom?"

"Watching you sleep," Kol smirked and Bonnie blushed before making sure her hair wasn't a mess. "Come on, get dressed we had a project this morning before we get started with your detox."

"If I prove to you that I can control this will you leave me alone?" Bonnie sighed flustered.

"Yes I promise," Kol said evenly. It was an easy promise to make. Bonnie hurried to grab a shower and get dressed. When she emerged from her bathroom she was ready for the day and he was scrolling through her iPhone. This earned him another jolt as she grabbed the phone away. They walked around the back way to the Gilbert house and Jeremy let them through the back door.

"I'm not refereeing a fight here," Bonnie growled in warning. She always seemed to be full of so much anger these days.

"No need," Kol and Jeremy grinned at one another and Bonnie was obviously surprised. "We need you to put a new protection on the house to rescind the invitations of all previous vampires."

"Okay I can do that," Bonnie said. "Everyone in the backyard." She closed her eyes and began to chant. Jeremy's eyes grew wide and worried as he saw the black veins creeping up her arms and her eyes the color of onyx.

"What happened to her?" Jeremy worried.

"That's Expression," Kol said and it was obvious that he shared the same worries. Now he really had a point to prove to Bonnie. Closing his eyes he tried to creep into her mind. As expected as soon as he encountered the expression magic Bonnie cried out and then suddenly Kol's neck snapped and he dropped to the ground. As Bonnie finished the spell she snapped out of the almost trance she had been in. She saw Jeremy on the ground with Kol.

"What happened?" she asked.

"You snapped his neck Bonnie. He was trying to help you and you snapped his neck," Jeremy said. Kol opened his eyes a few minutes later.

"Did you finish?" he asked.

"Of course I finished."

"Well let's test it out then," Kol said. Jeremy stepped inside but Kol was stopped by the threshold. "Perfect."

"Well how about it 'mate' would you like to come in?" Jeremy grinned and Kol clapped Jeremy on the shoulder as he walked into the house.

A while later they returned to Bonnie's house. She had been quiet and withdrawn ever since Kol had reawakened. She was in the process of pouring a glass of tea when her anger got the better of her and the glass shattered in her hands cutting her in the process. Kol watched as she stared at the blood a moment. Then she began to heal herself as the lights in the house flickered.

"It's taking over Bonnie," Kol broke the silence. "It broke my neck this afternoon as soon as I tried to get in and see how bad it was. The more you use it the more it's going to gain ground until you can't stop." Tears were slipping down Bonnie's cheeks.

"It's too late Kol"

"I won't take that for an answer. I know how to help you and we're going to get through this, together. It's not too late," his voice was gentle and Bonnie finally turned to look at him.

"How you couldn't get into my mind?"

"My blood Bonnie; it will remove the expression as sure as it was venom coursing through your veins," Kol said. "It won't be pretty and it will probably hurt a great deal but I will be here Bonnie."

"Why do you care so much?" Bonnie growled and he knew the anger was the expression asserting itself.

"Because I care about you Bonnie."

VVVV

That afternoon Bonnie sat on her bed and as Kol had instructed she was trying to talk to the spirits. They had forsaken her and she had turned to Expression magic but she needed them to take her back. She kept trying to light a candle – something that requires light magic. It used to be easy for her but she couldn't get it to light. She felt abandoned once again.

Kol came in after an hour or so and sat on the bed with her.

"Okay, it's time to start cleansing you. Now I'm going to draw the Expression out of your blood and then give you my blood to start cleansing you," Kol instructed. He settled on the bed and tried to pull her close but she jerked away and sat stiffly next to him. "Okay," he sighed. "Here it goes."

He bit into her neck and she cried out. Her blood tasted tainted but Kol knew he would be okay. He drank as much as he could though she began to fight him towards the end. Finally as he heard her heartbeat lessen he pulled away and then he opened his wrist and held it to her. She resisted at first but finally he was able to get some into her. She frowned at the taste.

The real problem began a while later as she began to moan and writhe in pain. Kol had been texting to take care of some business but her moans brought him to her bedside. She was feverish and obviously in pain. It was working. He opened his wrist and fought to get more blood in her. Then he brought her some tea.

She fought the fever all night and even bolted awake in the blackness of night but true to his word Kol was there beside her. Her veins seemed to be on fire as a war raged inside her body. The next morning she felt a little better. She took her coffee and walked out back. The morning was still and beautiful; dew still on the grass. She slipped off her shoes and settled her feet into the moist grass. The grass beneath her feet withered and turned black. She watched in shock as the blackness spread out around her.

Kol had come to check on her and he flashed to her side as he saw the horror on her face. He wrapped his arms around her and she buried her head against his chest and cried. He looked at the five foot in diameter circle of dead nature and realized just how close he had come to losing his Bennett witch.

"You haven't come in direct contact with nature since you completed the expression sacrifices have you?" he asked.

"No…it was dying all around me," Bonnie sniffled as she slipped her shoes back on.

"Expression is dark magic Bonnie," Kol reaffirmed, "darker than the magic my mother used to make us vampires."

"What if I can't get my real magic back? What if the spirits have forsaken me?" Bonnie worried.

"Well there are other options but I don't think it will come to that," Kol said. That afternoon he started with the blood exchange again. He blood didn't taste quite as toxic this time which told Kol that he was on the right path. The second time he drew he blood much later in the evening instead of being stiff she settled against his chest and he held her tenderly as she struggled through the detox.

"I won't leave you darling, I promise," he vowed tenderly against her ear. She was already half-delirious with fever but he hoped that deep within she knew that he meant it.

VVVV

Elena was sitting in the Compound with Caroline, both telling the dark skinned vampire-Marcel Gerard-about what was going on in Mystic Falls as well as why they left.

 _They_ _'_ _re not worth the tears_ she scolded herself. None of them-except for Jeremy, Bonnie and Liz-were worth her tears nor did they deserve them.

Liz, her second mother, the one who watched over her before Jenna came into her life…

With newfound fury and anger boiling inside her, she wanted to rip Damon's pathetic heart out and squeeze it in her hands, in front of Katherine before making sure that she suffered the same fate as well.

Caroline noticed that her sister was tethering on the edge of shutting it off and keeping it on when she whispered, "don't leave me. I can't lose you as well."

That sealed it for her-she wasn't going to shut it off, not for her sister. She looked and Caroline wanted to let it out, to let go of all this pain that was inside her. Pulling her into her arms, she held her as the tears fell.

"She was your mom Care," Elena whispered softly. "Let it out. We can grieve her here and we will be safe."

Marcel nodded to them. "You're both not gonna leave the Compound without telling me or one of my vamps as I don't want Kol coming here and killing me if anything bad happens to you both."

Elena smiled at him but it was marred by the look in her eyes. It was the same look that he'd seen on Elijah a couple of times when he was growing up and someone's pissed him off.

It was pure, unadulterated fury and it was all directed at the ones named Katherine Pierce and Damon Salvatore.

"Thierry-show Elena to her room," Marcel said to his right hand man who nodded. Turning to Caroline, he smiled. "I have a feeling Caroline and I are going to talk for a bit, if you don't mind." He added, as his eyes never wavered from her big blue ones.

"I don't." Her voice was small, softer than he's ever known a voice to be and it broke his undead heart.

It was that moment that made him want to fix her to the best of his abilities. He knelt down in front of her and whispered, "I'll protect you Caroline. No one will hurt you."

"How can I believe you?" She wanted to but how could she? Everyone that she was friends with-everyone except for Elena, Bonnie and Kol-happened to be against her as well as her choice to leave Mystic Falls but what did she have back there? An empty house and a cemetery filled with ghosts of her family.

No, she was going to make a new family here.

As he saw her stare into his eyes, he kissed her forehead lovingly, lightly, as he pulled her into his arms.

"I don't know how to make you believe it but I swear that I will." Moving her so that he carried her bridal style up to her room, she allowed her tears to fall onto his skin.

He knew that she only had Elena, Kol and a witch named Bonnie on her side but for him, they were her family and if any other Originals found these two girls he will personally throw them into the Garden to desiccate for lifetimes.

No matter the cost.

VVVV

Bonnie looked up at Kol as he placed fifteen grimoires on her dinner table. She looked up at him with a wary expression on her face.

"What do you want me to do?" He smirked at her expression.

"There's this magic that you have all bottled up inside of you and I want you to undergo a detox of sorts-to get rid of the black magic-before I have you do anything more that's related to magic."

She barely spared him a glance after the word 'detox'. She was fine! Yeah, she was craving a bit but wasn't that normal?

Getting up, she moved towards the kitchen to make herself some breakfast when Kol was right behind her.

"You're craving to use the magic at the moment," he told her and she wanted to slam him into something just for prying into her mind. "Bonnie-this magic is all consuming and the only way to get you cleaned of it is to do this detox I know."

VVVV

"I never really cared for jazz music much when I was younger," Caroline told Marcel as he took her to all the best places in the city that he ruled. "Now looking back at my life, I think that this music is soothing and good for the soul. My soul, at least."

Marcel nodded before swinging her around, making her laugh. "Thierry is the best at playing jazz-he and I rebuilt this place after the Originals left and their daddy chasing them. He was with me for the newest rebirth and when Katrina happened, we helped the supernatural here to begin their lives again."

"You've been doing a fine job Marcel." She told him and he was grinning, as her voice wasn't as sad as it was the night before.

"Whoever left you did the world a disservice." He told her with another spin.

He could see her eyes go sad as well as dark.

"My hybrid boyfriend cheated on me twice-once with this were skank named Hayley and another hybrid girl named Kim. Kim's dead and Hayley's slutting herself around in Mystic Falls the last I heard."

Well, if Marcel ever meets her ex hybrid boyfriend, Marcel was going to teach him a lesson about cheating.

Hell, he might make use of some of those chains he has in the Garden he was saving for Klaus if he ever showed up.

"…Elena and I have to go back to Mystic Falls for my mom's funeral…I'm afraid to go back there all by myself…" she was nervous, scared and Marcel knew why.

She would have to face everyone again. Holding her hand, she looked up and he smiled at her.

"You won't be alone-I'll go with you both." He ended up eyeing her daylight ring with disgust. "You deserve a better daylight ring and one that doesn't look like trash."

VVVV

It was two days later that the girls arrived in the dead of night, Caroline and Elena both had new daylight rings-Caroline's looked like it was something fit for a queen while Elena's was an Irish Claddagh ring made out of pure silver and the heart was the blue lapis lazuli stone.

Marcel saw Kol who he nodded to as well as the witch standing beside him and surrounding them were people he's only heard of.

The green-eyed boy with the blonde hair was Stefan, the other blue eyed and blonde haired boy was Matt and beside him was a brunette boy with brown-eyes.

"Jeremy." Elena whispered as she threw herself at him, her arms wrapping around him and he held her tightly in his own arms.

"I've missed you sis." He whispered and her tears finally shed.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

Rebekah joined Elijah in the woods but she knew that she was really joining him in a different time. Wordlessly he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"He can't be gone," Rebekah said sadly. "It's been the four of us for so long. I mean it's different when Klaus daggers him but this time…"

"I keep expecting him to come through the mansion door," Elijah sighed. "He didn't deserve what happened to him and they will pay. I was just thinking about when we were younger and Kol used to practice with his sword out here. You would sneak up that ash tree to watch him."

"You knew"

"Of course I knew," Elijah smiled. "Why do you think I finally gave in and taught you how to wield a blade?"

"He wasn't nearly as good at it as your or Klaus but he certainly tried," Rebekah remembered fondly.

"Well as we found out he was much better with a baseball bat and his bare hands," Elijah said, "Kol was lethal which is why I can't believe the Gilberts of all people ended him." He growled in anger. He had trusted her. She had given every indication that family meant as much to her as it did to him. Then she had taken his second youngest brother from him. Elijah closed his eyes and saw Kol's smile – the one he only wore when he was truly happy.

VVVVVV

Meanwhile Kol was propped against Bonnie's pillows on her bed with his little witch sound asleep in his arms. She had finally fallen from exhaustion a few hours ago when the fever had eased up again. He leaned in and kissed the side of her neck and she smiled and nuzzled closer to him. She barely reacted when he bit her.

"You're okay," Kol encouraged and he rubbed her back as he fed. As soon as he finished he gave her some more of his blood and soon the pain and fire was coursing through her body again. He held her and as the night wore on he got bolder with how much he drained from her. The Expression magic was fighting hard. She became critical at one point in the night and Kol worried that she might actually die and turn. While it would rid her of Expression he knew it wasn't what she wanted.

The next morning Bonnie woke lying atop Kol's chest. It felt surprisingly comfortable there. She smiled as she noticed that he was asleep and she laid there for a moment and watched him. His hair was disheveled and he looked so handsome and loving in the innocence of sleep. She carefully lifted herself from his chest and went downstairs to make some breakfast. By the time she arrived she had two blood bags ready for him as well as oatmeal and fruit for the two of them.

"Thank you," Kol said motioning to breakfast. Bonnie smiled.

"Thank you…for helping me through this," Bonnie said before she settled into her breakfast. They ate in companionable silence and after breakfast Bonnie settled in a salt circle to try and reach her ancestors. As she was just about to give up Sheila Bennett appeared. She smiled to Bonnie and then looked to Kol.

"Grams," Bonnie smiled.

"Bonnie what were you thinking child? Expression magic?"

"I didn't know Gram's…once the spirits deserted me after I helped Klaus well I didn't want to be without my powers. People were depending on me…"

"Expression could have killed you," Sheila fussed. Then she looked to Kol.

"What is your interest in this?" she asked Kol.

"I have always had a special interest in witches and I have seen what Expression can do to them. I have seen good witches killed because they thought they could control it. I didn't want that to happen to Bonnie," Kol replied. Sheila saw both what he said and what he didn't. This original vampire was interested in her granddaughter on a more personal level as well.

"Does this mean that the spirits have forgiven me?" Bonnie asked.

"I came to encourage you Bonnie but you did cause the death of twelve witches, twelves humans and twelve supernaturals…that's 36 lives that you pulled out of the balance Bonnie. Those deaths are on your shoulders," Sheila Bennett said firmly and as Bonnie began to cry Kol grew angry but he held it in check. Bonnie did need to deal with the consequences of her actions.

"Will they ever forgive me?" Bonnie asked in a small voice.

"Only time will tell but remember Bonnie I love you no matter what," Grams said. She looked to Kol completely surprised by what she was about to say next, "you let this young man help you along Bonnie. He obviously cares a great deal for your well-being." Then she looked to Kol directly, "thank you for helping her. Keep her safe, please." Kol nodded his head simply. It wasn't every day that a thousand year old vampire received thanks from a witch.

VVVVVV


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

Elijah was wandering the gardens again. He'd been wandering a lot the past week wondering how everything had gone so wrong. Having Kol out in Mystic Falls had been a tricky proposition at the outset but he had been doing surprisingly well. Rebekah was usually responsible for the mishaps as she egged him along but Kol had been managing rather well. In fact Elijah was proud of him. He had been glad when Kol showed an interest in Elena given how Elijah felt about her. It would be a good thing if the two of them could get along. Everything seemed to be going along better than expected until word of the cure got out and then in the blink of an eye Kol was dead by Elena's own hand! With a frustrated sigh Elijah glanced up to the twinkling night sky.

 _I miss you little brother_

Meanwhile Elena stared at the North Star from her seat on the compound's roof. It was a beautifully clear night but Elena's thoughts were still jumbled. How could he believe so whole-heartedly that she would kill his brother! She knew how important family was to him. It was important to her too! She thought that they had built something between them – mutual trust and respect at the very least – but he had been so quick to condemn her without even speaking to her about it. He had never even considered the possibility that it might be Katherine. Did he think so little of her?

Moving to stand up, she flashed herself back into her room. Once she had grabbed her phone and dialed the familiar number of Elijah's cell phone before putting it to her ear, she started hoping that he'd at least listen to her side of this.

Her prayers went unanswered as Rebekah answered it. "Hello wench."

"Rebekah."She wanted to say more but Rebekah decided to talk.

"My brother's fortunately unavailable as he's too busy with his new girlfriend." Elena felt the tears in her eyes well but she could imagine the smug grin on Rebekah's face. "Yes, I prefer his new girlfriend Hayley over you any day of the week."

Apparently, the girl was with Rebekah and began to giggle and make some gasping sounds of Elijah's name, causing Elena's already shattered heart to shatter more. Elena hung up and threw her phone at the wall before falling down to her knees, heart shattering into pieces like her phone and then some.

Her tears coating her cheeks and the selfish need to be alone filled her. She needed to be strong for Caroline and not cry over men who were never attracted to her in the first place but no one gave the memo to her heart. Each tear she shed, every last one, was her feelings for Elijah washing away from her.

As much as she wanted to forgive him for believing that she was at fault, she was going to stop. If she did bestow forgiveness on someone then it would only be on Marcel, his vampires, Caroline, Jeremy, Bonnie, Kol, Matt and Stefan. Everyone else, who pleads and begs her, she'll kill them or incapacitate them in any way that she can before killing them.

There was no more forgiveness in her heart for anyone but those that she named. Every last bit of her humanity she clung to was gone. What was good about it anyway? It just means that you get hurt over and over again and she was tired of it. She wasn't going to shut it off, but she didn't want to be with it either so she kept it in between-like a light switch that was stuck in the middle.

Never on or off.

Marcel and Caroline, who overheard that, instantly hated Rebekah Mikaelson in that second. Caroline went in there and sat beside her, giving Elena that same comfort that was given to her by the brunette who fell into her arms and cried.

Meanwhile, back in Mystic Falls, Rebekah and Hayley smirked at each other when Elijah walked into his room.

"Did my phone go off?" he asked as he was wondering why they were in there in the first place.

"It did." Rebekah looked sorrowful at him. "Elena called to basically shove it in your face that Kol's dead because of her." Elijah's eyes hardened and though both girls were sorrowful looking, they were happy on the inside. At least one of them was going to be out for blood much more than they anticipated. Once they were gone, he decided to call her but the phone went straight to voicemail.

 _"_ _Hey this is Elena Gilbert! Sorry I can_ _'_ _t answer the phone now but if you leave a name and number-I_ _'_ _ll call you back! Love ya!_ _"_ He hung up and felt his heart turn to stone. Clenching his hand in a fist, he ended up crushing his phone. Opening it, he saw all the pieces that once had been his phone. He may be a gentleman but the things he wanted to say to her-as well as threaten her with-shouldn't be said over the phone. No, the next time he sees her, he'll threaten her then but until that time comes to pass, he'll kill anyone who will dare hurt his family.

He'll start with Jeremy Gilbert.

VVVVV

The rocks broke down the door but as Elijah walked up to where said door was, he found that he hit the threshold. This was confusing until he saw Tyler and Stefan in there, after hearing the door break down. Stefan sneered at him.

"You're not allowed in and I'm pretty sure that Jeremy wouldn't want you even a hundred meters near any of his properties."

Elijah raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm pretty sure that I do not care for what he thinks as it was him and his sister who killed my brother."

"You should start caring." Jeremy appeared on the steps, a stake in the crossbow and aimed directly at his heart. "I won't miss and trust me," his eyes were colder. "I didn't miss when I shot this at Kol."

It was a bluff but as Elijah's anger made him a bit sloppy, he thought he could take him but what he hadn't counted on was Bonnie appearing behind Tyler and Stefan and Elijah's two siblings-Klaus and Rebekah-appearing behind him.

Inspiration struck him. "I want to make a deal. Leave Mystic Falls for a hundred years and when you come back, do whatever the hell you want as I'll be long gone by then."

"Why? I like it here." Klaus smirked and as he tried to enter, he was blocked. He looked up and growled, "Allow me entrance Hunter."

"Hmmm…never in a million years." Jeremy shot at him. "Either take my deal or that thing you call a sister will meet the very pointy end of this stake."

Stefan looked at them and nodded. "I'd take the deal if I were you unless you want Bonnie to kill you…"

Bonnie, knowing now was when she needed to threaten them, gave them a cold smile. "I've killed 36 people already, you want me to add more?" she asked coldly as she lifted up her hand in a way to give them an aneurysm.

"Deal." Elijah didn't want to lose his remaining siblings so he agreed. Turning to look at them, they knew why.

"We will leave in a month." Klaus said as he looked at them. "New Orleans has been calling me as of late."

VVVVV

Three witches were trying to hide the fact that they were using magic when two girls entered their shop. One was a pretty brunette with cascade waves going down to her lower back while her friend was a blonde with ringlets.

Both were in something that made all the males in the shop stare at them.

The brunette had on a body hugging little black dress that was strapless whereas the blonde had on the same body hugging little dress but hers was in a deep red color.

"Leave." The brunette's voice was ice cold and as the men all left, the blonde looked at the three witches. "You do know that playing with magic is a crime, right?"

"Who the hell are you?" the middle one sneered at her. The blonde smirked.

"Caroline and Elena Sommers. Marcel's friends."

Each one turned white until the brunette-Elena-grabbed the middle one and ripped out her heart. Letting it slide out of her hands, she snapped the neck of the one on the left and the one on the right was decapitated by a swing of Elena's hand.

Every witch knew that day, that the Sommers girls were brutal and Marcel had told Caroline that Elena was her 'second in command'.

"Why?" Caroline questioned and Marcel grinned.

"Every French Quarter Queen needs a second in command." He told her and she kissed him, for the first time.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

It was months later that they were in New Orleans and under the protection of Marcel Gerard who had taken an interest in Caroline.

To be honest, he was basically dating her.

Tonight, she and Caroline were at Rousseau's when Elena caught sight of Elijah and as they were about to leave, Marcel texted them to go meet him.

It took them a while to locate Thierry and Diego and when they did, they were all watching Marcel play judge, jury and executioner.

Elena was thoroughly disgusted as she watched her protector slit the throat of Jane-Anne but she held no remorse.

Caroline was beside her as it happened, also feeling no remorse as both girls discovered that she linked Hayley to Sophie and that Hayley was pregnant with Klaus' baby.

"Why am I never good enough?" Caroline asked as they walked past an alleyway where Sophie was.

This was part of their distraction and it was very good.

Every male ate out of the palm of her hand and if they've done magic, they'd be heartless in seconds.

"You're better than the werewolf skank and the witch bitch in the alley." Elena told her.

Said 'witch bitch' glared at them and before she could attack them, three vampires appeared only to hear a cultured baritone coming from behind Sophie.

"Mind telling me what is going on?"

Elijah Mikaelson was there. He noticed her and Caroline, partially hidden by two of the vampires and raised an eyebrow.

"Witchy was just about to start playing with magic again." Caroline snapped at him quite coldly. In all the time that he has spent in Caroline Forbes' company, he has never heard her be so cold. "She and every other witch knows better-use magic and well…you die." She ended up giving the witch a mocking wave as she said 'die'.

The Original Hybrid, his brother, the witch and the two young vampires were all in a mausoleum in Lafayette cemetery where the coven was present with Hayley. Caroline sneered at her. Hayley bared her teeth and Elena was in the middle.

"Care-don't lower yourself to the wolf skank's level," she cautioned. Turning to look at Hayley, she snarled, "skanky, tell us all the truth as I doubt that the Hybrid actually knocked you up."

Hayley didn't care who was there-she leapt off the crypt and went to bite her only for Elena to wrap one hand around her throat and startling everyone, she made it look like she was ready to rip out Hayley's heart.

"One false move and it's your death." She was channeling her inner Katherine as she spoke. "It'd be such a pity if you did indeed die." Dropping her, she sauntered over to Sophie who was paralyzed in fear.

Another witch stood up in front of Sophie with a hard gaze. "You should know better than to kill innocents in this cemetery devil."

Elena shook her head and grabbed the witch's throat, fangs bared. "You think I care what happens? I surely don't." She sunk her fangs into the witch's throat before pulling them out and throwing her at Elijah's feet. "What are you gonna do? Scold me about manners?" she sneered darkly at him. "You may have missed the memo but you can't control me."

Looking from the body on the ground by his feet who was still alive and over to the doppelgänger who threw her there, he was incensed.

"Taking after Katerina now _Elena_? Becoming emotionless and slaughtering everyone in your way?" he demanded and Elena rolled her eyes.

"Why of course I am Elijah," she sounded fakely surprised. "I just can't believe it's taken you this long to figure it out! What was it that tipped you off or was it when I threw dinner on the floor?" She sounded like she was mocking him as she plastered on a cruel smile.

It was reminiscent of Katerina Petrova in his mind. He wanted nothing more to do than to kill her but that would be too kind to someone who killed his baby brother.

No, he knew what he wanted to do to her and when he was done torturing her, she would beg him to kill her himself but he wouldn't.

His eyes were flashing and she stepped in front of Sophie.

"Let me make this clear-protect that whore with whatever pathetic life you have left or I'll kill her, the child she carries and you all in one fell swoop. Understand?"

Sophie was terrified by her and nodded. She'd do whatever the second in command-Elena Sommers- and Marcel's supposed Queen- Caroline Sommers-wanted and without question.

"I'll tell Marcel what's been happening." Caroline said calmly as she looked at her watch. "Oh dear-hope he won't be too angry that I'll be five minutes late for our date!" She was nervous sounding and Klaus felt the ripple of jealousy flitter through him before squashing it down.

"So you're dating the vampire I sired?" She gave him the same hard look that Elena had worn earlier.

"You have a problem with that Hybrid boy?" She asked coldly.

"I just have a problem with those who would willingly run away with the murderer of an Original."

Elena and Caroline looked at each other and at once, flipped off both brothers.

"Care, call Marcel and I'll put the Originals in their place." Elena told her and the blonde flashed away, calling not just Marcel but Kol as well.

"HE WHAT?" Kol screeched into the phone while Bonnie jumped a foot in the air. "Please tell me that you're joking." He ended up running a hand through his hair, in anger and frustration. "Oh the Ancestral witches have confirmed it? Yeah-I'll see if it's real or not." Hanging up, he looked at Bonnie and grinned.

"Do you wanna go on a few road trips with me? One to Whitmore College to peruse through Shane's occults books and the other to New Orleans?"

She rolled her eyes. "Do I have a choice?" She asked as she stood up.

He shook his head. "Nope. You don't-get packing for our trip, will ya? I'll inform Stefan and Jeremy what we're doing."

"What about Rebekah?" Bonnie knew that Rebekah had pissed off Kol somehow but he never told her what it was that she did.

He shook his head. "The others can inform her and no-not the girls-my idiotic brothers were who I was talking about."

Marcel hung up and flashed over to where Caroline was, smiling at her warmly. She smiled as she went into his arms, feeling a little bit better at not being second place while she was with him.

They didn't see Klaus walk out to see Marcel run a hand through the blonde locks and kiss her throat. His anger and jealously came up but again, he squished it down as he made his way over towards them.

"Marcel, old friend," he greeted and Marcel glowered at him. "Why didn't you tell me that you were with her?"

"I didn't think it was any of your business who I date sire." Marcel got out before he smiled at Elena who walked over towards them with a smug grin on her face.

"The noble one is boring to be around and the little were skank is going to be staying here for a while." Elena didn't care that Elijah could hear, in fact, she knew that he could hear her and knew that her words stung him. "It's a pity that I can't just kill his little pet wolf considering that she decided that the 'Big Bad Wolf' was what she wanted to play with."

The low growl from both Originals made her giggle uncontrollably.

The road trip was boring. It wasn't just Bonnie and Kol though-they had Jeremy and Stefan with them.

 _A recovering witch, a Hunter, a Ripper and a psychopathic Original who_ _'_ _s been making everyone believe he_ _'_ _s dead on a road trip? The worst idea ever!_ Bonnie thought darkly.

VVVVV

When the car finally came to a stop the first night Bonnie's eyes opened as soon as Kol said 'we're here Bonnie' just as she had been programmed to. They checked into the Westin hotel and hauled their luggage plus a suitcase of grim moirés upstairs. Bonnie smiled as they opened the door to their room. Stefan and Jeremy were rooming across the hall. As soon as they got settled in Kol and Bonnie went across the hall where the four of them had dinner. As soon as that was finished they went across the hall. Jeremy and Stefan would hang out for a while and then go to sleep. Meanwhile Kol and Bonnie settled on the king size bed and began to pull out grim moirés. They worked for about an hour and then Bonnie took a shower. They were looking through the books and Bonnie began chanting. She immediately had Kol's attention.

"What are you doing?" he worried and she finished the spell by putting a hand to her mouth.

"Excuse me," she said from behind her hand and hurried to the bathroom. As she pulled her hand from her mouth in front of the mirror she stared in shock at a set of fangs.

"What the bloody hell?" Kol gasped from behind her though his tone was more delight and surprise than upset.

"It's a spell that masks my being a witch by making me a temporary vampire," Bonnie said.

"Bonnie that's...do they work?"

Bonnie took Kol's wrist and a moment later he moaned as she bit him and began to ingest her evening requirement of blood. When she pulled away Kol's lips crashed onto hers and he lifted her onto the bathroom counter. They kissed until Bonnie pulled back and she was gasping for breath.

"Darling I'm sorry I forgot you're not actually a vampire," Kol smiled.

"Well I can now turn the illusion on whenever I want. I memorized the spell," Bonnie said. "Come on we need to get back to work."

"That was a big spell," Kol said with a grin. "Your magic is definitely coming back BonBon." They looked through the rest of the night and by seven in the morning Bonnie was tired and Kol ordered breakfast. They ate and then checked out loading their luggage into the car. Stefan and Jeremy would take turns driving while Kol and Bonnie slept.

VVVVV

The next night they arrived at another swank hotel (paid for by Kol) and joined Stefan and Jeremy in their room for Chinese. The noodles were salty while the shrimp and broccoli was wonderful tasting. It was around nine that night that Kol and Bonnie went back to their room where they were joined by Stefan and Jeremy for a couple of hours and got the grimoires out. They had been making some progress and felt like they might be getting closer. They had been at it for two hours when Kol had Bonnie take a second look at something. It was a reference to a vampire pregnancy.

"This is interesting. It says that it can happen but it has to have some sort of magical help…well, whoever wrote this blurred out what kind of magic needed to be used," Kol sighed.

Bonnie rubbed his arm. It sucked, really sucked as this was the closest thing they got to an answer.

They had been looking at it, trying to decipher what the word was when Kol closed the distance and began to kiss her. His hand reached up to cup her cheek and she moaned with longing as the passionate kiss continued.

"Uh...guys? Uh guys..." Jeremy called and finally he decided to wave a book to get their attention. Unfortunately the book flew out of his hand and clubbed Stefan in the head. Stefan turned to growl at Jeremy but stopped when he saw Kol and Bonnie completely making out.

Stefan got up and motioned for Jeremy to follow him and the two of them left the room. Kol and Bonnie didn't get any farther on the pregnancy and they settled in to bed about one in the morning. It would only take half of the next day and they would be in New Orleans.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

Klaus stormed into his brother's Plantation House with said brother behind him and Hayley. Rebekah, who had traveled with them once Matt and Stefan wouldn't give her the time of day, stared at them.

"What's going on?" she demanded.

"Our brother got Hayley here pregnant." Elijah told her as she fell into his arms for a hug. "The other news is that Elena and Caroline are here." He shook his head. "They're ruthless now-especially Caroline."

Rebekah wanted to kill but her brother's calming aura was the only thing keeping her where she was. Looking up, she saw his eyes were dark and flashing.

"She tore into a witch and after, she threw the witch bleeding at my feet before calling me out and saying that I'm boring." He was growling.

"That's nothing brother." Klaus managed to snark at him coldly and with hate just blazing in his blue eyes. "Caroline is dating Marcellus. The vampire I sired."

"So she's going after my leftovers?" Rebekah smirked, thinking that she could get back at the blonde. "I wonder what they would do if they see me."

"Simple-you'll be heartless." They all turned to see Elena just leaning up against the doorway with a sadistic smirk on her face. "Or I'll behead you. I'm torn." She made a show of thinking about it. "Kill her in a simple way or in a more brutal way? Choices, choices." She fake-sighed. "It's so difficult."

"How about I kill you?" Rebekah sneered at her. Elena raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry-not happening if the vampires don't see me back-you'll be saying bye-bye to Hayley and baby because Sophie will be six feet under."

Rebekah scoffed but Klaus got in Elena's face instantly.

"You would kill an innocent child?" She snorted.

"Yeah, I actually would. No emotions, according to the ass in the suit." She smirked at her jab at Elijah who bristled in anger. "So I'm here warning you-come near me and mine, you'll wish you were dead. Understand?"

"No." Rebekah told her as she stood next to Klaus. Elena looked at her and nodded before stabbing her in the chest, snapping Klaus' neck and throwing a dart at Hayley in the shoulder.

"I'll ask again, do you understand me?"

Elijah bared his teeth at her and she snorted.

"So pathetic Elijah," She purred coldly. "You're ready to take care of this bitch after it was known she was banging your brother? Have you gone soft in your old age?"

He flashed to her but she flashed away and appeared behind Hayley, a knife poised at the wolf's throat in a way to make it look like she was going to slit it.

"Fine _Elena_ ," he bit out harshly as he glared at her. "I will make sure that my family understands this as well. You don't harm us, we don't harm you."

She smiled and threw the knife, hitting him in the gut. Walking past him as he fell to his knees, she smiled.

"We should never do this again. Hopefully I won't see you anymore." She said cheerfully before leaving the house.

"You bitch." Hayley shouted at her. Elena paused, turned and stared at her with a malicious smirk.

"I'm sorry but weren't you Katherine's little pet wolf but decided that the Originals were better protectors?" Her eyes were cold and playful, but it was her voice that made Hayley's hair stand on edge. "That little deal will be null and void if you ever come near me and mine."

Turning on her heel, she strutted out in a way that would make even Katherine envious of her.

Once Klaus woke up, he wanted blood but Elijah sat him down and handed him a club glass filled with scotch.

"I had to say that we all agreed to her terms," he turned an eye to Rebekah who wanted nothing more than to go after her and make her dead. "She was ready to slit Hayley's throat and there would have been no time to save her. To save your child brother so I said that we would acquiesce to her demand."

Klaus knew that his brother had been put in between a hard place and a rock. Thanking him, he went back to brooding about Kol who had died and to Caroline dating Marcel.

VVVV

Elena was drinking blood out of a club glass as she sat ladylike on the chaise that Marcel had bought for her, in her room, listening to a bunch of her favorite songs on a continuous loop as she thought back to what she had done and said to the Originals.

The human her as well as the vampire with humanity her would be horrified but now, she wasn't.

This was the new her and she wouldn't be tied down to her emotions, her feelings…to any loyalty she had felt for Elijah Mikaelson.

No, if she'd ever see them again, it'll be too soon. Sipping, she smiled and slid on her ebony colored peep toed high heels as she wanted to feed.

VVVV

The atmosphere at _The Beach on Bourbon_ was hot and heavy as Elena began dancing and grinding up on some poor human. Pulling him out of the club and into an alleyway, she compelled him to be quiet.

Her fangs hit his vein in his neck and she took two pulls when the presence of someone she never wanted to see again was right behind her.

Pulling them out, she healed them and compelled him to go back to the club, which he did and she turned to face Elijah, uncaring about the blood all over her lips.

"Another lecture or are you here to tell me that you're so disappointed in me?" she said with a yawn.

His jaw ticked. "I was walking and saw you feeding off the locals." His eyes were colder. "Were you going to kill him?"

"Feed and bed him, not kill." She told him as she walked out of the alleyway, licking her lips clean. "Do you want your precious little wolf bitch to be dead?" she asked him, cruelly. He made a move to grab her but she danced out of his reach. Closing his eyes, he took quite a few deep breaths before he began speaking.

"Why are you here?" She snorted.

"I've never been and besides," she flashed so that she was right behind him. "I find this place to be fun and just what I want. Got a problem with that?"

He shook his head. "Whatever happened to you? You were so filled with this innocence and purity and light. What happened to make you…like this?"

"Life and humanity." She told him, uncaring about his reaction. "Now, before I find and feed off of Sophie, leave me alone."

She didn't even wait for him to say anything as she disappeared into the night, intent on dancing and drinking. Elijah sighed and wanted to hurt someone-her mostly-but the threat of his unborn niece or nephew hung and he couldn't do anything to save it. He had to abide by the rules, otherwise his family will fall apart and he didn't want that to happen, at all.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

Their plans to be in New Orleans by nightfall got drastically mislaid when Bonnie discovered that her cousin Lucy was in Florida. If it had just been a family reunion Kol would have told her no way but Bonnie assured him that Lucy was also a powerful Bennett witch and may know the answer to their dilemma.

With that Stefan turned the car and they made their way to Ft. Walton Beach Florida where Lucy had rented a house for a couple of weeks. As soon as Lucy opened the door she smiled brightly at Bonnie and gave her a tight hug. She became tense a moment later as she looked at Kol.

"Lucy, I'd like for you to meet Kol Mikaelson, Kol, my cousin Lucy," Bonnie made the introductions. Kol held out his hand.

"I know what you are," Lucy glared.

"That makes two of us," Kol smiled, "But I'm only here because Bonnie said you could help us." He took his hand back.

"I don't own this house," Lucy said as she and Bonnie walked over the threshold but apparently it wasn't a problem because the two vampires and Jeremy entered without resistance.

"You're traveling with vampires?" Lucy looked to Bonnie as she put on tea while Kol found the page in the grimoire.

"He's not one of the bad guys Lucy, neither of them are," Bonnie said gently though she knew both vampires could hear her.

"They're vampires"

"Kol was born to a witch – a witch who just didn't want to lose her children," Bonnie reminded her.

"I knew that name was familiar! You're traveling with an original! Bonnie!" Lucy fussed.

"His family, Elena and Caroline need our help," Bonnie said. Lucy sighed.

"I am doing this for you, you hear me, you," Lucy said. Bonnie nodded. Soon they were all sitting around the table drinking tea as Lucy studied the book. This went on for hours, Stefan and Jeremy went out and played in the surf and then they ordered pizza for dinner. Bonnie noticed that Kol started looking a little caged and she took him outside. They walked along the beach in the moonlight.

"Are you okay?" Bonnie asked gently.

"I'm fine. Are you okay?"

"I'm great. It's good to see Lucy again. She seems to be on the right track with the book. I know she's going to find the answer. You're hungry aren't you?"

"No"

"Kol don't lie to me. We don't do that remember?"

"Yes we're out of blood. We should have been in New Orleans by now."

Bonnie stepped into his embrace and Kol wrapped his arms around her as she kissed him. Then she leaned up and whispered against his ear, "take what you need Kol." She leaned to make her neck more accessible. Kol hesitated for a moment but then bit her relishing in the sweetness of her blood as he drew it in and listened carefully to the sound of her heart.

Meanwhile Stefan joined Lucy where she was taking a break on the back deck of the beach house. They watched as Kol and Bonnie walked along the beach with his arm around her. Then they stopped and were kissing under the moonlight.

"I don't believe he would hurt her," Stefan broke the silence.

"I did some research while you were eating. He's the most lethal and possibly psychotic of the originals," Lucy said with a tinge of anger to her voice.

"Yes and we've known him for almost two years," Stefan said, "during that time he has never once hurt Bonnie and has in fact saved her on numerous occasions."

"Are they together?" Lucy asked.

"Yes, though I didn't know that until we started traveling," Stefan said. Kol finished feeding from Bonnie and made sure she got her nightly dose of his blood before they returned inside. As the night wore on everyone fell asleep except Lucy and Kol.

"This is it," Lucy whispered as she found the answer. "It's nature magic, the power of minor creation. It's very powerful good magic and would require strong blood to perform." She looked to Kol, "your kind of blood." She closed the book and motioned for him to join her out on the deck.

"I'm not the kind of person that likes to beat around the bush," Lucy began as they listened to the waves lap against the sand.

"In that respect we are alike," Kol said.

"Witches and vampires are supposed to be enemies."

"It doesn't always work like that"

"Bonnie seems to trust you a great deal," Lucy said. She had been observing them since they arrived and had learned a great many things.

"And I trust her."

"Do you love her?" Lucy asked and the question hung in the air for a long moment.

"Yes, I am in love with her," Kol finally replied gently. "It took me a thousand years and a feisty aneurysm giving Bennett witch but I am in love."

"You're dangerous for her. Just being around you is dangerous," Lucy worried.

"Bonnie is very capable and very powerful," Kol began, "but I would protect her with my life if it came to it." Kol watched with absolute surprise as Lucy reached over and laid her hand on his leg giving it a pat.

"Just keep her safe please," Lucy smiled at him.

"I promise I will try my hardest," Kol said sincerely.

The next morning Lucy explained to the group that it was nature magic. She told Bonnie and Kol of the spell she had found so that they could tell the baby's origins. Then everyone had packed up to be on the road. Lucy shook Kol's hand with a smile and wished him the best of luck. Finally she hugged Bonnie and whispered against her ear.

"You're in love with him aren't you?" Bonnie stared at her with wide-doe eyes. Finally she nodded slightly.

"Take care and if you need anything and I mean anything call me," Lucy said. They loaded into the car and made good time on their way to New Orleans.

VVVV

"Niklaus now is not the time to go on the offensive," Elijah said as they all returned to the mansion that night. "Marcellus is playing on your need for power and you are playing right into his hand. You have a son or a daughter that we have to protect – another Mikaelson. There are so few of us these days. I have already lost one brother; I will not lose another!"

"There's quite a bit about that which simply isn't true," Kol said from his position, sprawled over the arm of the couch lazily with a drink in one hand, "hello brothers, sister." He greeted them with a grin as they stood frozen in their shock.

VVVVVVVVVVVVV


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

"Kol" Elijah gasped in utter shock. It was not possible that his baby brother was sitting here.

"What kind of trickery is this?" Klaus growled. "Kol is dead!"

"I am actually not dead," Kol grinned.

"How?" Elijah finally asked and the others finally managed to take a seat.

"Well as it turns out Elena Gilbert saved me," Kol said. "Katherine and her little pet Damon Salvatore were trying to get their hands on the cure and I was in the way. Elena took a page out of your playbook Nik and incapacitated them with suburbia's white picket fence dream. However, since everyone was ready to condemn me to death I decided to use that to my advantage and take the cure out of play for good."

"You've been alive all this time and you didn't come see us? Kol I thought you were gone!" Rebekah worried and he could see the genuine anxiety on her face. He knew his siblings had truly mourned for him and it touched him to know that he was truly loved. He enveloped Bekah in a tight hug.

"I realized that I had an opportunity to be really helpful. I got Elena and Caroline out of town like they asked and then when we got word of what you all were up to down here Bonnie and I got to work. Caroline doesn't believe you committed fatherhood…"

"She wouldn't," Hayley growled as she appeared and moved to Klaus' side.

"Well she would be right," Bonnie Bennett said as she appeared in the room and had everyone's attention. "There is a spell that can in fact create a pregnancy overcoming all kinds of obstacles. I could stand in this very room and give myself Klaus' child or Elijah's if I wanted…and that's precisely what a witch did for Hayley."

"No!" Hayley protested and she looked to Klaus and Elijah. "She's lying to you. I did no such thing!"

"There's also a spell to find out whose baby that is…I personally believe there's a very small chance that Mikaelson DNA is even involved…"

"Elena didn't…" Elijah finally managed and Kol smiled at his brother who was in a complete stupor.

"No she didn't and I cannot believe that you did not even consider that Katerina might be at work," Kol frowned. He looked to Klaus as well, "you two need to learn a thing or two about loyalty."

"We were being loyal to you! They admitted to doing it!" Klaus growled.

"They used that story after you had already accused them," Kol said. He stood then and went to Bonnie's side. "are you hungry?" Bonnie nodded.

"Forgive my manners," Elijah said as he stood then, "allow me to whip you up something for dinner Bonnie."

"Great I'm starved!" Jeremy said as he appeared along with Stefan.

"Okay are we going to be invaded by the whole of Mystic Falls?" Rebekah growled.

"Bekah," Kol growled.

Soon everyone was eating a pasta dish that Elijah had whipped up. Bonnie was starving so she devoured hers in between little glances with Kol. They were having a wordless conversation where she voiced her apprehensions at being in a house full of his siblings at a time like this and he vowed to protect her.

Hayley meanwhile pushed her food around on her plate. Elijah had been watching her since the earlier accusation.

"Miss Bennett is it possible for you to perform the spell?" Elijah asked.

"Yes," Bonnie replied, "I could do the spell but I hear there is a moratorium on magic here…"

"Yes there's a witch that can tell if the other witches are performing magic," Hayley spoke up. "The punishment is death so it's really not worth it."

"Actually in this case I think it is," Bonnie said. "Stefan maybe Jeremy wants to go visit his sister." She looked at him and Stefan knew it wasn't an offer.

"Yeah, I'll check on you in a little bit," Stefan smiled and squeezed Bonnie's arm encouraging way.

"Bonnie don't do this," Jeremy worried. "They're not worth it."

"I will be fine Jere, go see your sister," Bonnie said and she waited until she knew their car had driven away.

"Okay Hayley you can get comfortable if you wish," Bonnie offered.

"This won't hurt the baby will it?" Elijah worried.

"No it's a passive spell and completely harmless to Hayley or the baby," Bonnie said. She looked to Kol and hoped that she had enough of his blood in her system to be able to handle the powerful nature magic.

"Then if you please Miss Bennett," Klaus invited. Kol stood with Bonnie and Elijah didn't miss the fact that he was guarding her. Bonnie began to chant as she got into the spell her eyes turned white. A few moments later the word 'mother' appeared on Hayley's arm. Hayley stared at it with shock. Bonnie continued to chant and Klaus waited for the word to appear on his arm but it did not. Finally Bonnie finished the spell and Kol tenderly wiped the blood from her nose with a tissue.

"I'm sorry," Bonnie apologized for though the word had disappeared from Hayley's arm Bonnie knew what the results had been and she truly felt sorry for the Mikaelsons because she understood their desire for family.

"Thank you Miss Bennett," Elijah said while Klaus was glaring at Hayley.

"Are you sure that spell was even right?" Rebekah cried foul. "Maybe the witch is working for Marcel! She's best friends with Elena and Caroline!"

"Who called me with their doubts about Hayley's pregnancy," Kol said and then his attention was returned to Bonnie as she began to collapse. "Crap" he muttered as he scooped her tenderly into his arms.

"Let me show you where she can room," Elijah offered as he headed towards the stairs and Kol followed. As they reached the top Kol spoke softly.

"Show me to my room brother" Elijah led Kol to a suite that was lavishly decorated. Kol walked inside and settled Bonnie carefully on his bed. "She will be safe in here." It was a statement and not a question.

When Elijah returned downstairs Rebekah was standing in between Klaus and Hayley.

"How dare you protect her Rebekah? She lied to us!" Klaus growled.

"You don't know that for sure; not really," Rebekah said.

"I do not doubt Bonnie's abilities," Elijah said and Hayley paled even further. He gripped her by the arm though his force wasn't excessive. "Come we'll lock you in your room until we decide what is to be done about all of this."

"Elijah you know me," Hayley pleaded.

"I also know Bonnie Bennett and my brother," Elijah said. "Kol may be many things but among them is brutally honest. I trust both of them to tell me the truth."

"This is the same brother who let you think he was dead," Hayley reminded him. Elijah looked at her with cold eyes as he put her into her suite.

"Be grateful for the leniency I am showing you and do not try my patience," he said coldly before he locked her in.

"Hayley is in her suite," Elijah said as he returned to the living room. A moment later Kol rejoined them. "How is Miss Bennett?"

"Resting peacefully," Kol said. "She will be safe here?"

"I should hope so." Klaus sighed, after discovering that he had no heir or heiress. Rebekah sneered at them.

"Not if I have any say." She had her teeth bared at them. This was her best friend and she'll be damned if anyone will ever hurt her; even her own brothers.

Kol's eyes turned cold towards Rebekah. Then he turned to Elijah, "Did you know that Elena tried to call you brother?"

"Yes about your death..." Elijah couldn't finish the sentence because that no longer made sense.

"Ah yes," Kol smiled, "Rebekah is not a very good message taker. Also she may have mentioned to Elena that Hayley was your girlfriend while Hayley carried on in the background. You...dear brother...have been played."

"Bekah?" Elijah asked curtly; daring her to lie to him again.

"How the hell do you know this?" Klaus was staring at him. "How did you know that was happening and why were the girls in his room in the first place?" he directed the last question to Rebekah who looked like a deer in headlights.

"I thought he had my jacket." She lied though the truth was, she was snooping through his phone to call one of the girls and find a way to make them come back to Mystic Falls under false pretenses.

"That doesn't answer our dear older brother's question." Klaus stared at her, also in the same way that Elijah spoke.

"I'm more curious as to why our brother was stalking us while pretending to be dead." She was trying to push herself out of their eyesight and get Kol in it.

"Ah, ah Bekah," Kol grinned, "you're slipping. You'll not make me the sacrificial lamb. I decided to use the advantage of being dead to protect my family. The cure needed to be dealt with and dead I had the anonymity I needed to deal with that. I took care of some business but I always had one eye on my family. I was here the second that you needed me and with answers. Oh and because I did have one eye on my family I know you took the call because Elena and Caroline told me. We are on good terms."

"Bekah did you tell Elena that Hayley and I were involved?" Elijah asked pointedly again.

She ignored him again but that was the wrong move as Klaus got up faster than they thought possible and pushed her against a wall, a hand around her throat.

She remembered him doing this to her back when she discovered that he was alive and had saved Caroline over her.

"Do not ignore us Rebekah or you shall be neutralized. Understand?"

"I may have implied it." Another lie but as Klaus tightened his hand around her throat, she began to pale drastically. "Yes you imbeciles!" She croaked out. "Happy Kol?"

"Why would you do that?" Klaus growled. "Why Rebekah? Do you want us all to fall apart and become weak?"

"Rebekah is not the true matter at hand," Elijah waved his hand in dismissal of that line of conversation and everyone resumed their seats.

"Brother I am sorry but Hayley must be dealt with," Elijah said gently to Klaus. Truly he was sorry about the whole affair. He had been perhaps more desperate than Klaus even at the prospect of an addition to the Mikaelson family. Kol looked to Klaus and wordlessly expressed his sympathy as well.

"Whatever happens to her," he growled out. "Let happen." Rebekah did manage to break free of her brother's hold and slapped him.

"I dare any of you to stop me especially if none of you have the daggers." She was colder and as she looked vindictively at them, she turned on her heel and left to go to Hayley's room.

She was going to get her friend out of here.

"Looks like I showed up just in time," Kol said cocking his head to one side and arching a brow.

"You always seem to show up just in the nick of time." Klaus teased sadly. He had missed his little brother a lot more than he had always thought he would. The sounds of people jumping out of a window were heard and Kol flashed outside to see Hayley in Rebekah's arms while Elena, Stefan and Jeremy were there.


	10. Chapter 9

**AN: Sorry that I haven't been updating my old stories! I've had family emergencies and I was sick plus I couldn't find the chapters for them so they're going to be rewriting them!**

* * *

 **Chapter 9:**

"Oh look-Female Klaus and wolfy are playing white knight and damsel in distress." Elena teased coldly as she stared at the blonde who let go of Hayley and made a line straight to her.

Rebekah was knocked down by Klaus and neutralized instantly. The dagger in her back was proof of it indeed. It was only a minute later that Bonnie came running outside. She noticed immediately that Rebekah had been daggered and her eyes darted to Kol with worry. Hayley thought she would be able to slip away in the confusion but Elijah grabbed her by the arm.

"Care, Lena," Bonnie smiled, "boy have I missed the two of you. Phone calls just don't cut it."

Kol, Hayley, Elijah and Klaus did see Caroline there, just hidden behind Stefan.

"I know that and I'm sorry BonBon." Caroline made a show of stepping out from behind Stefan in a little black dress. Hugging her, she smiled until they parted and her eyes were locked on Hayley and Klaus.

"I hear that I should say congrats but really, what's the point?" the blonde smiled viciously. Elena giggled and as she removed herself from Bonnie's embrace, she hugged Kol.

Hayley sneered at her but Elena pulled out her blade from her boot and twirled it in her hands.

"It's been coated thoroughly in aconite and one little slip..." she smirked at the wolf's newly pale face. "We don't want anything bad happening to you, now do we?" her voice took on a mocking tone. Bonnie looked completely floored. She had heard that Elena and Caroline had changed but hearing about it and seeing it first hand were two different things.

"Thanks for the heads up Elena," Kol grinned at her, "you were right. It turns out the baby isn't a Mikaelson. You're looking well though given the tension I might ask what you and Caroline are doing here?" He wrapped an arm protectively around Bonnie's waist.

"Stefan wanted to support the Hybrid bastard you call a brother," Elena ticked off her fingers. "I wanted to find someone to party with that wouldn't have a stick up their ass, Care wanted to visit Bonnie-I admit, that's another reason I'm here." She smiled and gave the other two Originals a mocking smile. "I also wanted to throw out threats to the wolf." She pouted. "You all had to ruin my fun."

Klaus glared at her comment about being a bastard while Elijah had to look down. He had a feeling that the words 'stick up their ass' was an insult to him.

Stefan had to step in between them to diffuse the situation.

"Let's all calm down and at the moment, pretend to coexist together." Stefan said in a calming voice.

"Well I'm sorry lovely Elena that we seem to have spoiled your evening," Kol smiled, " that was never my intention I assure you. I'm just happy to see that you've been well looked after and I won't have to remind Marcellus how to treat guests."

"What are we going to do with Hayley?" Bonnie asked as she realized they weren't alone. A moment later there were several cries of pain before Bonnie stopped dishing out brain aneurysms to people outside their assembled group. Marcel's nightwalkers were hiding in the shadows and making Bonnie nervous.

"Yes boys," Elena bit out harshly. "What are we going to do with your little pet wolf?" Klaus and Elijah just stared at her.

"You're much more vicious and vindictive this time love." Klaus remarked as he spared her a glance. She rolled her eyes.

"You do know that I've killed three wolves and numerous witches that were placing hexes on innocent people, right?" Elena told him with a cold edge to her voice.

"You surely have changed." Bonnie said softly. "In this case about the witches, I don't blame you."

"What about the wolves who were innocent?" Hayley shouted at her. Caroline snickered darkly.

"They tried to take a chunk out of me." She was acting like her old self until her eyes darkened. "So we took their hearts and heads."

Kol spared a quick glance to Elijah barely perceptible before grinning at the two of them.

"Darlings now I can definitely see I've been missing the party down here," Kol smirked. "Now as for the wolf I think she should be severely punished for her actions. However, I think death would be too easy for that kind of deception. Don't you brother?" He looked to Elijah expecting him to go ahead and indulge his dark side.

"I agree with you brother," Elijah smirked. "I think she should be a wolf...permanently." Hayley started to fight against Stefan who was currently restraining her and Klaus was looking at her with his evil grin.

"However, if there is even a chance that child has Mikaelson DNA I'll not see it left with her," Elijah furthered.

"Then who would carry that little baby?" Caroline asked him as she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Maybe Rebekah...she should learn some sort of responsibility." Klaus murmured as he looked at his brothers.

"Bekah's always wanted to be a mother," Klaus added as his brothers nodded. Bonnie leaned up and whispered in Kol's ear. He looked at her and she nodded.

"Bonnie says that Hayley's not too far along and Bonnie could change the DNA. The child would be Rebekah's," Kol offered.

"Who would be the father?" Elijah asked. This was a dangerous game they were playing but he wasn't about to let Hayley benefit from her crimes.

Stefan raised his hand. "I will."

Elena looked and asked, "I'm needed here for what reason? I'm already bored." To prove a point, she faked yawned. "I could be feeding on some local cuisine or actually eating real food."

"You just ate." Caroline told her. "Besides-Marcel needs to be here to approve of any more magic so the spell should be done tomorrow." She gave Bonnie a sad smile. "He says that he wants to see you and watch any spells you do to make sure that you're not placing hexes on people."

Elena smirked. "Hope you don't mind boys." Her words were directed at Elijah and Klaus.

VVVVV

Bonnie was apprehensive as she sat on the bed in the room she was sharing with Kol. He returned from the shower and found her lost in thought. He sat down on the bed and gathered her in his arms.

"That charm over the door means that what we say and do in here stays private," Kol reassured her. "What's on your mind?"

"I'm nervous about meeting Marcellus tomorrow. What if he objects to the spell? I saw how easily Rebekah wound up daggered. I couldn't stand to see them do that to you." He kissed the side of her cheek where he could reach her from behind.

"I'm working very hard to make sure that doesn't happen. Now let's make sure your blood is clean and ready for tomorrow."

VVVVV

The next morning Bonnie was up early to go over the spell. As she walked through the downstairs she found the room with the coffins in in. One of the lids was open and she wandered in to see Rebekah lying there. It was unnerving.

"That's not who you're picturing there is it?" A familiar voice spoke and Bonnie jumped. She looked to Stefan as he joined her.

"No," Bonnie confided.

"You didn't touch the dagger did you?"

"Of course not." Stefan looked down at Rebekah.

"Why would you do it? Father the child?" Stefan reached out to trace Rebekah's cheek.

"I would have thought that was obvious," Stefan flashed a ghost of a smile.

"You love her," Bonnie finally realized.

"For a long time."

VVVVV

"We should probably decide some things before this Marcel gets here," Bonnie suggested as she was eating something called beignets that Kol had gotten her. "Rebekah cannot be in a sleep state for me to transfer the pregnancy. Someone needs to keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't do anything drastic afterwards too." She advised the brothers.

"Don't worry witchy," Klaus smirked at her. "I'll keep an eye on her because Elijah here doesn't trust her anymore like he used to."

"Yesterday she tried to escape out a window with Hayley and you daggered her brother. I don't think you trust her anymore than I do," Elijah said.

"I will take care of her," Stefan said. "How is this going to work exactly Bonnie?"

"Well it's an extremely powerful nature spell but I just chant and it's going to retrieve the life force from Hayley, re code it with the DNA desired and then settle it in Rebekah. Then the spell will nurse the pregnancy along until the baby is born." It was obvious that Bonnie was a little nervous though she was trying hard to hide it.

Elena caught it though. She stood protectively in front of the witch and bared her teeth at them.

"Go near her or attack her and you will regret ever doing it." She said wickedly. "Marcel's not even that happy that your entire family's here but as I told him 'life isn't really all that fair'."

"I could bite you doppelgänger." Klaus snarled. She looked him dead in the eyes with a malicious smile spreading across her face.

"Oh really?" She shook her head. "You do that and you will just reinforce the fact that Kol trusts you as much as I trust you."

"That means that she doesn't trust you." Caroline chimed as she stood beside Elena. "Also, I doubt that you're going to want to endanger the Queen of the Quarter-me-just to get back at Elena and Bonnie."

Bonnie felt really out of place and didn't even realize that she had started pacing until Kol pulled her up against him.

"When is he going to get here? I want to get this over with."

Elena looked at Caroline who flitted over to the other vampires. One of them nodded and was off. She flitted back towards them with a smile.

"I just sent the message. I can assume that he'll be here tomorrow at the earliest." She said brightly, a total contradiction to her earlier coldness.

"Queen love?" Klaus just couldn't believe that Marcel was the King and the beautiful Caroline was his queen. It had to be a joke.

"I'm her second." Elena said as she looked at her nails. "No one will mess with us as they're afraid."

"It's only because of the numerous hearts being ripped out and heads being removed from their bodies." Caroline quipped.

Elena nodded. "Those are from one the second best first impressions I've had. Decapitation by a slight of hand."

Elijah's eyes locked on hers. He flashed back to the memory immediately. She had been so beautiful and so bravely defiant standing before him despite the fact that she was human and he was a thousand year old vampire. She was defiant standing before him now but this was different. Now she was angry - bitter and he was to blame. Her gaze turned hostile and he looked away.

"What shall we do in the meantime?" Bonnie fidgeted. At the moment the only one she felt truly comfortable with was Kol.

"I don't know about you but I've starving." Elena let out a groan at Caroline who smiled prettily at her.

"You just had blood-from a champagne glass no less-right before we got here." Caroline rolled her eyes at Elena who spoke.

"Human food." She quipped at the brunette. "I'm starving for human food."

"There's still some left." Klaus said as he offered her his arm. She walked past him, nearly pushing him out of her way.

Elena whistled. "Damn. She's really hungry as well as angry." Elena followed her in but Elijah grabbed her arm.

She pulled her arm away from his grasp and gave him a dark glance.

"Let me guess...another deal or do you want to rework the one that's already in place?"

"I want to apologize for not considering that Katerina may have been at work instead of you," Elijah said gently. "You protected my family and for that I am eternally grateful Elena."

"I wish I could believe you," she turned her head away from him. "I really wish I could but it's too late." She brushed past everyone and went in.

Stefan grabbed Elijah's wrist. "She's still hurting and her emotions aren't really off-they're in between the two extremes."

"Oh she's still hurting? Poor her." Hayley sneered only for Elena to be in her face and her blade right to her throat.

"Sorry honey," she mocked. "I'm not that hurt anymore but you will be." She pressed the blade closer to her throat. "Did you know that your clan's been cursed so that every full moon they turn human? I did and I didn't have to do what you did to find that out."

"Now how do you know about her clan and yet she barely does?" Curiosity never suited the hybrid and knowing that the girl had the answers to Hayley's own clan was making him angrier.

"I talked to the witches and they told me-just like Marcel did." Was Elena's answer before she removed her blade. "If I had to pick a suitable punishment for you it'd be death but that's too nice."

Everyone was shocked at her words. Especially Elijah.

"Now, now, I think that permanent banishment to four paws and a fur coat is more than just," Kol smirked. "I hope you're the outdoor type." Kol taunted Hayley.

"Don't get her too agitated," Bonnie cautioned. "We wouldn't want her to miscarry under stress..."

Elena removed the blade and sauntered off.

"Yes, I know that I wasn't complaining about being hungry before though I just ate but really? The food here is to die for and that wonderful..." Her eyes were closed as she held a little childish smile on her face.

"I hope you don't mean that literally." Bonnie managed to get out and Elena rolled her eyes.

"It wasn't literal." She assured her. "But Bon-be careful." Her eyes flitted over to Kol before looking back at the other two Originals as well as Hayley. "As much as I trust Kol-I can't trust those two to hold back wolfy. God knows what she could do to you and I'll end up killing her."

"You're torn again love? Decapitation or ripping out the heart?" Klaus taunted.

"I would do that to you but there are some good people in your line that I can't see dead. Caroline, Stefan and Marcel being three of them." Elena sneered.

"Thank you for your concern as always Elena but I have gotten stronger and could likely take on Hayley without any issue. Not that I would have to," Bonnie said for she had every assurance that anything coming at her would have to get through Kol and probably even Elijah first.

"Why are we delaying until tomorrow? Can't we just have this over and done with? Or is it a case that you're bluffing and your witch isn't worth her salt?" Hayley growled.

"Do you see Marcel here wolfy?" Elena taunted. "No and besides your best friend is temporarily out of order so learn how to wait." The way she spoke to Hayley was like Hayley herself was a small child who didn't know anything.

Hayley's teeth were bared but Elijah pulled her back with a little warning growl.

"Elijah? Why are you doing this? Don't you believe me?" He shook his head in the negative.

About that time Bonnie's stomach chose to announce that it was lunch time. After a rigorous debate food was ordered in and soon everyone was eating. Hayley was returned to house arrest, this time in an actual cell Klaus had in a spare room. Bonnie and Kol slipped away for a bit to continue her detox therapy and strengthening her nature magic. Meanwhile everyone else kept awkward company. Later that afternoon Kol and Bonnie returned and Bonnie found ice cream. She began making a sundae with gourmet vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, nuts and rainbow sprinkles. She had just finished it when Kol relieved her of it. She glared at him a moment before calmly repeating the same steps over again.

"Are you seriously trying to make us stay here?" Caroline demanded of Klaus who was relaxed in his chair.

"Yes love I am." He answered her before she flashed over to him with a pillow and tried to suffocate him. Letting it go, she marched over back to where she had been sitting-on the couch next to Elena-when Jeremy spoke.

"As awesome as everything that's happened so far...how long is it going to take to get Marcel here to watch Bonnie do magic?"

"I'm unsure." Elena told him as she ran her hands through his hair. "But I do know that his favorite witch-Davina-will be with him."

"He's bringing his witch?" Kol asked and had he been human Bonnie's death-grip on his hand likely would have hurt. Stefan looked to Elena and Caroline. He could feel the already tense air in the room become almost suffocating.

VVVV


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"What assurance do we have of Bonnie's safety?" Kol asked trying to be completely passive and laid back. He was doing a passable imitation of Elijah's technique in tense situations. It was easy to see that he took after Elijah more than Klaus.

Elena rolled her eyes at Kol. "Seriously, Davina's not gonna attack Bonnie. She's never seen anyone do this kind of magic and was curious."

Caroline nodded. "She sketches witches who do magic in the Quarter but because of this situation...she thought it would be best if she were here to witness it."

"It's fine," Bonnie said. She looked to Elijah, "If something happens to me during the spell you keep him away from Davina or so help me when I get the chance I will make your life miserable. I'll cut origami shapes in all of your ties."

Kol burst into laughter and got a brain aneurysm for his trouble.

"Bloody Hell BonBon I was just enjoying myself," Kol growled. So it was that the tense night went on and was followed by a tense morning. Kol and Bonnie had slept but everyone else had stayed up. Bonnie had started her day with a large infusion of Kol's blood and was now meditating by herself outside in the garden. She was trying to summon as much nature energy as she could though she knew she would also be relying on Kol's blood and the Bennett line - however much of it they would grant her.

VVVV

She was startled by the appearance of a dark-haired pixie and a vampire. Kol who had been watching from the kitchen was at her side by the time Bonnie made it to her feet.

"It's show time," Elijah said from the study where he had seen Kol flash past.

"Marcellus! Good to see you old buddy." The dark skinned vampire only nodded in his direction.

"Good to see you as well Kol and the name's Marcel now." He got out before a blonde launched herself into his arms. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her nose.

"Sorry that we had to stay here," she apologized. "The Hybrid didn't want us to leave. Elena's growling at some of them because they won't leave her alone."

"Davina? Can you go and save Elena?" Marcel asked the girl beside him. She nodded and fluttered off before there were snarls coming from upstairs due to the massive aneurisms that she gave them. The minute she came down with a calmer Elena, the others entered the living room where Jeremy bumped into the girl.

"Davina Clare." She said as she held her hand out for him to shake which he did.

"Jeremy Gilbert."

Davina offered him a real smile then and Jeremy smiled back. She was cute and a breath of fresh air in a house full of vampires.

The entire group was soon assembled awkwardly on the back lawn. Bonnie had just finished showing Davina a copy of the spell while they had waited for Rebekah to awaken. Once Bonnie was sure that everything was in the right place she spared one more glance to Davina and then a longer one to Kol before she closed her eyes and began to chant. The wind picked up around them and everyone began to feel a little euphoric. When Bonnie's eyes opened again they were completely white. Sparkles like diamond dust began to accumulate on the surrounding grass, trees and plants as Bonnie chanted. Hayley gasped and placed her hands over her belly a moment later. About that same time Rebekah almost doubled over and Stefan was at her side at once.

Bonnie could feel the power of life at its most basic running through her. It was a wonderful sensation. She smiled as she worked her magic but Kol could tell she was becoming exhausted. Every vampire there could easily feel the strength of the magic. Bonnie's nose had been bleeding for a while and Elijah's face showed his obvious surprise as Kol moved to wrap himself around Bonnie offering his strength. Finally her eyes returned to normal.

"It's done," she got out breathily and Kol opened his wrist for her. She took a few sips much to every Mikaelson's amazement - save Kol but she collapsed into his arms anyways. He kissed her tenderly on the forehead and held her tightly against him.

"Bonnie!" Elena and Caroline gasped out when they saw her passed out.

Hayley and Rebekah were still doubled over in the pain though only Stefan went to help Rebekah as Elijah and Klaus got Hayley up.

Kol let the two girls get close, smiling at their tender concern. He carried Bonnie into the house and settled on a couch with her cradled in his arms.

Hayley was screaming and fighting as Klaus and Elijah returned her to her cell. Rebekah was finally able to stand back up and Stefan helped her inside but she was completely shocked as she could hear the small, fast heartbeat inside her.

"What is going on? Why do I..." Rebekah was barely able to get anything out so Stefan told her what happened. Eyes widened, she placed her hands on her abdomen and smiled. After the older two brothers locked Hayley in her cell, they each made their way down stairs, while thinking of both Elena and Caroline.

"That's rather amazing," Davina remarked, "a pregnant vampire and an original at that." She turned her attention from Rebekah to the girls with Kol.

"How many sacrifices has she absorbed to be able to do that kind of magic?" Davina asked for she had been in truth impressed by the spell.

"None," Kol replied evenly.

"Her essence is very faint right now..." Davina worried.

"Her heartbeat is steady though. She'll sleep it off," Kol said calmly trying to hide the fact that he was worried about her as well.

"Would you like something to drink while we wait for her to wake up?" Jeremy offered to Davina. "I know she'll want to put a protection spell on Rebekah when she wakes up. Bonnie takes life seriously."

"I would love something...maybe lemonade?" Davina smiled at Jeremy as she spoke before he took her hand and led her inside.

"We'll see if they have anything of the sort." Jeremy told her as they walked inside the house. Kol smirked and realized that they liked each other-it was the same realization that Elena had about her little brother.

"If your sister ruins them," Elena told Kol with a glare. "I'll ruin her life."

"Don't worry Elena." Kol told her as he eased Bonnie into his arms so that she'd be comfortable. "I doubt that Bekah will do anything of the sort to them."

"When did this happen? You and Bonnie? She hadn't said anything to me," Elena said.

"It didn't really become anything serious until about two months ago," Kol confided as he looked down to Bonnie-his love for her obvious. "She probably didn't want to upset you. No one knows, not even my siblings."

Elena smiled. "I wouldn't have been upset about this." Caroline nodded and began sit next to them.

"Is she happy with you?" Caroline asked and at his nod. "Then we're happy for you both."

"She's under our protection-just like Jeremy and Davina." Elena told him.

"Thank you," Kol said sincerely. She has my blood in her system at all times since she detoxed from Expression but I still worry about her like crazy - pathetic huh?"

"No," Elena told him softly. "Not pathetic but it does prove your hybrid ass of a brother wrong-love isn't a vampire's greatest weakness."

Kol nodded, relieved that she believed that. He knew that Elijah never did but in some points in history, that saying kept coming up to hurt him.

"I never thought anything about it one way or the other before now," Kol scoffed. "I would do anything to keep her safe."

They stayed with her a couple of hours and finally her eyes fluttered open. Elena and Caroline knew the truth to the depths of their souls as they watched the scene unfold. As soon as Bonnie's eyes focused on Kol her whole face lit up even though he could tell she was still exhausted. He tenderly moved some hair off her face and was going to kiss her forehead but stopped when he remembered they had an audience.

"We were just leaving." Elena told them. Nudging Caroline up, they sauntered off to go inside where Marcel was hovering over Davina and Jeremy having an innocent conversation over art.

"He's not going to hurt her." Elena whispered to Marcel. "He wants a friend and well...Davina needs one as well. Let them be. If it turns into something more then let it bloom."

He nodded but he still hovered over them, unknowing that both Elijah and Klaus were overhearing their conversation.

"Well apparently there is some of the old Elena still in there," Elijah sighed.

"I wouldn't hold my breath," Klaus said.

"I should have double-checked my facts before I went after her," Elijah sighed.

"You really should have Elijah." Kol whispered as he appeared. Bonnie was with Elena, Marcel, Davina and Jeremy who were all in the kitchen. "She was hurt with what Rebekah and Hayley did and when she found out that you threatened to kill Jeremy and then her, I would be surprised if she actually talks to you again."

Elijah had the grace to look ashamed at what he had said to the hunter. Truth be told, he would have compelled him to move away and change his name while burning down Elena's old house with a corpse that roughly looked like Jeremy.

"So it looks like you're using a little persuasion on the Bennett witch," Klaus smirked. In an instant Kol had thrown him through a wall.

"Don't say things like that!" Kol growled.

"Kol!" Bonnie worried. Elijah was amazed by the look of horror on her face. She was deeply in love with his brother. A witch had fallen in love with an original vampire.

"I'm fine Bonnie," Kol smiled gently. Bonnie turned back towards the kitchen.

"That spell was amazing," Davina said and Bonnie smiled at her.

"Thank you," Bonnie said, "I hope it helped. That's all that matters...speaking of which I need to do a protection spell..."

"Who do you need to do a protection spell on?" Jeremy asked as he stood next to Davina with his eyes trained on Elijah and Klaus.

"Well," Elena said as her eyes were also on the two Originals but they were cold. "I hope that it's not on any of the Originals-excluding Kol-as I'm pretty sure that they can manage to defend themselves pretty well." She ended up smirking. "Both Klaus and Rebekah killed me already."

"Actually I was going to do a protection spell on the baby," Bonnie said. "I didn't go through all of this today to make that baby a pawn. I want to see him or her be born. There's no record of a vampire ever successfully having a baby so I figure Rebekah could use all the help she can get." Bonnie gave a long look to Kol. She had never even thought about trying to protect him though she knew she needed to.

Caroline nodded and Marcel spoke. "Great idea and trust me-one of my rules is that no one hurts kids. If any witch, vampire, human or wolf hurts a kid they get punished severely."

"Bekah, Stefan," Kol called and Rebekah appeared a few minutes later. She looked - tired; which of course was unheard of for a vampire but absolutely natural for a pregnant woman in the first trimester.

"Rebekah I'd like to do a protection spell on the baby to try and help you through as much as I can. I don't know what lies ahead of you and I hope it is smooth sailing but I want to help you every bit of the way. Would it be alright if I did a protection spell on the baby?"

"Yes, please Bonnie." Stefan said as he knew that this was what Rebekah wanted. He took a glance at Elena who was glaring at the other two Originals and only one of them was looking away from her.

He knew that Elijah's feelings for Elena ran deep but because he hurt her...he would protect her as she was the best friend he had since Lexi passed.

"Bonnie are you sure you can do this now?" Kol worried and Bonnie glared at him. They stared at one another before he opened his wrist and she took several long swallows. She looked to those assembled and then warily approached Rebekah. The blonde original sometimes frightened her more than even the hybrid. Bonnie closed her eyes and began to chant. As they opened again her eyes were white and not only that but she and Kol who was once more wrapped around her were glowing white. It looked positively ethereal and Davina was obviously impressed. She reached over and took Jeremy's hand in hers as she admired the show.

Bonnie reached out her hands and touched Rebekah's abdomen but just that part of her began to glow white. Without realizing it Rebekah smiled as she instantly felt a little better. Bonnie withdrew her hands and finished chanting with a smile. Her eyes turned back green a moment later.

"That is impressive," Davina whispered to Jeremy.

"That's nothing," Jeremy smirked. "She may be able to do a lot of things with magic but really? I think that I would like to see you do some magic."

She shook her head. "No you don't."

"Sure, I think magic is awesome," Jeremy grinned. "I mean look at what Bonnie can do. It's better than vampirism..."

"Davina right?" Bonnie approached the other witch offering a friendly and hopeful smile. "What kind of magic do you practice?"

"Ancestral magic but..." she looked at Marcel who stepped in front of her. "I'm trying hard not to right now because my coven wants me to finish a blood ritual called The Harvest."

"They tried to kill her but they did kill her three friends." Marcel growled at them.

"So your magic is tied to the land where your ancestors are buried."

"Not only that," Kol said angrily, "but apparently her coven believes in harvesting magic at the expense of their strongest witches. It's like a blood sacrifice."

This obviously upset Bonnie as well. Kol had always held witches in high esteem and he had seen these senseless massacres before.

"Well there are other types of magic but whatever you do please stay away from the darker forms. They will only bring pain, destruction and death to you and those around you," Bonnie said ever so softly and she couldn't bear to look at anyone as she spoke.

"I know," she said with a sigh. "I'm the one that sees the witches when they do magic. I draw them."

"That's rather an impressive talent. Did you see my magic?" Bonnie asked and she rather hoped the young witch hadn't.

Meanwhile Elijah found Rebekah in the study.

"How are you feeling sister?" He asked gently.

"Well I feel really full and a little achy," Rebekah said, "and I suddenly want to cry at everything."

"Is that normal?"

"Elijah I haven't been a normal woman in a thousand years."

"I'll buy you a book-or ten," Elijah sighed. This was going to be quite the experience.

She smiled at him. "You are an amazing big brother."

He leaned down to kiss her forehead.

"It's a title I've never taken lightly," Elijah said and he was truly grateful that he once again had three younger siblings.

VVVV


	12. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of this-I don't even own the song used in this chapter, Passenger owns the song while The CW and LJ Smith owns The Vampire Diaries and The Originals**

 **Chapter 11**

Klaus was filled to the brim with self loathing as he saw Caroline dancing in Marcel's arms. She was radiant, lethal and filled with hope. His anger at them was on par with his self loathing and knew that he lost her.

Going back to the bar, he saw Elijah there, drinking and knew that he was thinking of Elena.

He didn't care though as he was all wrapped up in his own turmoil that he didn't see his big brother leave or his little one enter.

Elijah wasn't sure where he was going anymore as everything came to a head.

Kol wasn't dead, just in hiding to stop them from going after the cure and it wasn't Elena who had tried to kill him but Katerina…

All those threats that he made to Jeremy now felt bitter in his mouth-first, threatening to kill his sister and then him to avenge a brother who wasn't even dead and then trying to kill the Hunter himself.

He had royally fucked everything up.

 _Mother didn_ _'_ _t make us monsters, we did that ourselves_

That played on a loop in his head continuously as he sat at the bar at Rousseau's before paying Cami with a fifty dollar bill and left, just mingling around when he saw her walk out of Marie Laveau's House of Voodoo with some guy.

He wanted to talk to her, say that he was sorry but he knew that she would never believe him and why should she?

So instead, he watched her leave the shop and surprisingly, she made her way towards him.

"We really need to stop meeting up like this." She told him with a darkness to her voice and he was filled with shame at causing her to be this way. "It's annoying."

"I just…wanted to talk." He got out softly. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Start talking." She demanded as she tapped her foot on the ground in her annoyance.

"I can say sorry all I want but you won't believe me," he began. "But Elena-I truly am sorry for everything. All I want is your forgiveness."

She snorted. "Too damn bad. You missed your chance." She snarled. Walking back towards the shop, he couldn't help himself.

"This isn't you Elena!" She stopped and turned to look at him, hatred in her eyes.

"You're right-this isn't me. But you know what else? I'll never be her! So let her go!" she managed to keep her voice low but he heard her nonetheless.

"Just tell me what to do to make this right between us. Please, I'm begging you."

She shook her head and her low voice was a snarl. "Leave me alone. I don't want to talk to you, I don't want to see you and I sure as hell don't want to hear what you have to say."

He shook his head. "You're lying." She laughed in a way that took him back five hundred years ago.

Katerina's laugh from when she was human.

"I'm not lying but you're too soft and blind to notice anything like that." She cocked her head and another flashback hit him with a human Elena who was learning that he wanted to spend that one day with her.

He never told anyone but in his entire existence, that was the best day of his life.

"You don't think that I know you're lying to me? Your heart-even now-jumps."

"Stop paying so much attention to me and just go!" She had to bury the urge to yell at him. "I'm not that human girl anymore and I'll never be your precious Katerina! Do us both a favor and move on!"

As she walked away, he could hear the song 'Let her go' play and the lyrics resonated deep inside of him.

 _Well, you only need the light when it's burning low,_

 _Only miss the sun when it starts to snow,_

 _Only know you love her when you let her go._

 _Only know you've been high when you're feeling low_

 _Only hate the road when you're missing home_

 _Only know you love her when you let her go..._

 _And you let her go._

 _Staring at the bottom of your glass_

 _Hoping one day you'll make a dream last_

 _But dreams come slow, and they go so fast_

 _You see her when you close your eyes_

 _Maybe one day you'll understand why_

 _Everything you touch surely dies_

 _But you only need the light when it's burning low_

 _Only miss the sun when it starts to snow_

 _Only know you love her when you let her go_

 _Only know you've been high when you're feeling low_

 _Only hate the road when you're missing home_

 _Only know you love her when you let her go_

 _Staring at the ceiling in the dark_

 _Same old empty feeling in your heart_

 _'Cause love comes slow, and it goes so fast_

 _Well you see her when you fall asleep_

 _But never to touch and never to keep_

 _Cause you loved her too much, and you dived too deep_

 _Well you only need the light when it's burning low_

 _Only miss the sun when it starts to snow_

 _Only know you love her when you let her go_

 _Only know you've been high when you're feeling low_

 _Only hate the road when you're missing home_

 _Only know you love her when you let her go_

 _And you let her go ooooh ooooh oh no_

 _And you let her go_

 _ooooh ooooh oh no_

 _Well you let her go_

 _ooooh ooooh oh no_

 _Cause you only need the light when it's burning low_

 _Only miss the sun when it starts to snow_

 _Only know you love her when you let her go_

 _Only know you've been high when you're feeling low_

 _Only hate the road when you're missing home_

 _Only know you love her when you let her go_

 _Cause you only need the light when it's burning low_

 _Only miss the sun when it starts to snow_

 _Only know you love her when you let her go_

 _Only know you've been high when you're feeling low_

 _Only hate the road when you're missing home_

 _Only know you love her when you let her go_

 _And you let her go_

He loved her, that much was certain, but before when he'd ignore the song and everything, he would just scoff but now…

He loved her and now…now he'd have to do the most selfless thing in his entire existence.

He'd have to let her go. Closing his eyes, he shed a tear at the thought of it but he wanted her happy more than he wanted any of his previous lovers happy.

 _Maybe I should go back to England_ _…_ _that way, I won_ _'_ _t have to walk around every corner and see her with someone_ _…_ he thought as he made his way back to his house.

He should never have opened his heart up to anyone who wasn't family and now, this was the price he was paying.

Hayley betrayed them, he betrayed Elena and now, realizing that he can never have a chance with her, he was going to leave the states…for her happiness and for himself.

Besides, what man in their right mind wants to see the girl they're in love with be with someone else?

VVVV


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

He was packing. There was no one who could stop him and besides there wouldn't be anyone trying to stop him.

He had to leave-he just had to.

Meanwhile, as Elijah was getting things ready for him to leave that afternoon, Bonnie looked to Kol, "you know what would be absolutely fabulous right now? An ice cream sundae, a real, old fashioned ice cream sundae." As she spoke she watched Davina and Caroline's eyes light up.

"How about Kol, you and Jeremy take us girls for ice cream sundaes. If that would be alright with everyone?"

"I'm game." Jeremy said, wanting to get out of the house. Marcel nodded and flashed out of there before any other Original siblings caught them leaving.

Elena smiled at them sadly before covering it up. She wasn't going to be weak around everyone.

Last time she did, she was betrayed.

It wouldn't happen again.

Bonnie appeared on Kol's back a second later. "Psst Elena are you coming? Hurry up!"

Elena gave a slight nod of her head.

"Of course."

Marcel directed them to a restaurant that specializes in a giant ice cream sundae. Jeremy and Davina took a table for two away from the others who took a larger table. As they waited for their orders Bonnie hugged Elena and Caroline tightly.

"I have missed you both so much!"

"We've missed you too!" Elena told her with a serene smile.

It was a total 180 from her cold and calculating persona to her sweet and cute one.

"Wow Elena that gives a whole new meaning to flip the switch!" Bonnie sighed with a relieved smile.

"Yes BonBon was all worked up about you two last night," Kol outed her fears and got a slap to the arm for his troubles.

"Kol!"

"What? Were you not the one that said 'I'm really worried about Elena and Caroline. This cold hostility just isn't like them'?" Kol said in a sing-song version of Bonnie.

"Kol Mi-" before she could get the rest out his lips were on hers.

"I wouldn't announce that out loud darling. It's not safe around here."

"Yeah-you don't want to mention any of the Originals' last names nor mine either." Elena cautioned when she stood up to make a phone call to someone.

"Is there a reason why we can't?" Bonnie asked.

"My family helped build this place up before Mikael found us and chased us away from here." Kol said sadly to her.

"But Mikael is dead."

"That doesn't mean they don't still have enemies Bon," Care said.

"My last name probably isn't a good idea either then," Bonnie said and both Caroline and Kol nodded.

"So Marcel what is your part in all this? I want you to know that currently I'm like Switzerland in all this."

"I'm Klaus' adopted son and he sired me when my own daddy tried to kill me." He had a distant look in his eyes. "Each of the Originals raised me."

Bonnie was surprised. "Klaus doesn't seem like the fatherly type." He chuckled.

"He was good with me but Elijah took over for a bit." Bonnie could see that. "Then Kol had these men teach me Shakespeare but killed them."

Kol had his hands up in defense. "They killed his works."

Marcel nodded. "So Elijah found us, took me back and daggered Kol for being a horrible influence."

Bonnie reached and put her hand atop Kol's. He flipped his hand over and threaded her fingers through his as though it was the most natural thing in the world. A moment later their ice creams arrived.

"I can't believe Rebekah is pregnant," Elena marveled.

"It's a very powerful Nature magic spell but it's possible for any two vampires to procreate provided there is some original blood in there somewhere," Bonnie said. "I just hope she can handle it."

"Don't we all wish that?" Caroline murmured with a dark voice. Kol raised an eyebrow at her. "Marcel and I were there when Rebekah said what she said on the phone to Elena."

Bonnie was looking at all four of them. "What phone call?"

Kol gave her the short version and Bonnie felt her anger rise. Elena sensed this like Kol did and grabbed her hand.

"It's his loss." Elena murmured to her. "He lost my friendship, trust and loyalty. As well as calling himself my ally."

"They're so cute together," Bonnie said under her breath as she looked at Jeremy and Davina knowing that they wouldn't hear her but the table full of vampires would.

"Kol it's good to have you back in the city," Marcel said. "Not that you were ever one for reining your brother Klaus in though if there was ever a time this is it."

"I can try Marcel but I doubt that it will work. You're better off asking Elijah or Rebekah to do it." Marcel groaned.

"Do you think that they will agree to rein in Klaus?" Now it was Kol's turn to groan.

"It's a possibility."

"What in God's name does he want this time?" Bonnie sighed. "Elijah is typically so level-headed if only he couldn't be bullied around by Klaus..."

"What I'm not the level-headed one?" Kol teased.

"Well lately you have been," Bonnie had to concede. "I wouldn't have made it through this without you. You saved me."

"Klaus wants to be King again." Bonnie gaped at him. "I'm not giving up this throne to him." He looked at Caroline and nodded. "Besides-I think that Elena would be the perfect Queen."

Each one looked at the brunette who was eating her ice cream sundae in a ladylike fashion. She was wide eyed at Marcel.

"You want me to be Queen?" she choked.

Bonnie quietly bowed out of the conversation. How could they fight over something when they were only ever there for short periods of time? Did anyone really own a whole city of people? She had always imagined money ruled a city. She supposed in the supernatural world things worked differently. She turned her attention to Davina and Jeremy only to find the table empty. She blushed as she realized Jeremy was likely making out with Davina just outside.

"Umm...Elena?" said girl looked at her. "Jeremy's got a girlfriend who he's making out with outside."

Elena held her hand out and Marcel placed two one hundred dollar bills in it before she slid it into her pocket and left to go talk to them.

"Did you bet on Jeremy and Davina getting together?" Caroline asked and as Marcel nodded, she shook her head.

"Yes well if I remember you owe me a grand," Marcel told Caroline with a raised brow.

"I don't know..." Caroline pretended to mull it over. "I haven't seen any solid evidence..."

He chuckled at her and kissed her lightly. Holding her hand still, he turned to Kol.

"Please Kol...just find a way to rein in your brother. I don't care how you do it-just do it for me." Marcel nearly begged.

"That could earn him a dagger," Bonnie worried with an angry frown. Suddenly small dark veins began to creep up her arms. Kol saw and pulled her onto his lap letting her bury her face in his shoulder. A couple of moments later the lines receded and she returned to her chair.

"Excuse me," she blushed, "I haven't had a relapse in a couple of weeks now."

Caroline turned worried. "Expression?" she asked and at Kol's nod, she began to have a mini panic attack.

"Don't worry love," Kol tried to soothe Caroline, "I've had her on a strenuous detox routine and she hasn't practiced it in months but she's gone through my blood faster than usual the last couple of days and she hasn't replenished like she usually does. I'm guessing because she wasn't sure how everyone would react. She's going to be fine. It hadn't completely taken hold."

"Oh thank god!" Caroline breathed a sigh of relief. Looking, she glowered at the door. Kol turned to see Klaus walk in. His eyes spotted his brother.

"Excuse me," Kol said as he got up to greet his brother. "What are you doing here brother?"

"I was just taking a stroll and saw this place." Klaus offered him a friendly smile.

"You're not doing yourself any favors brother," Kol said firmly. "You and Elijah burned your bridges. What do you want?"

"To have a conversation with a brother who I had thought died." He stared him in the eye. "If I had wanted to talk to Caroline, I will." His voice held a dark promise to it.

Kol scoffed. "She'll have you in the Garden." Klaus shrugged.

"Come now brother, can't you spare some time to talk to me? I have no desire to talk to the girls and I doubt that Elijah wants to speak to them either."

"Excuse me a moment," Kol told his brother. He walked back to Bonnie and knelt down between her and Caroline. "Bonnie, Nik wants to visit with me for a while. If I don't get back by the time I'm done Caroline will you keep her safe and get her where she needs to go?"

Caroline nodded and Kol walked back to Klaus leading him out of the restaurant.

"Okay brother, I'm here let's talk," Kol offered him a smile.

"I was hoping you could tell me why you had to get the cure out of play and use your death like that to do it." Kol glowered at him.

"Since no one would listen to me about it, I decided that when Katerina and Damon tried to kill me which failed epically, I'll use that to my advantage."

Klaus nodded but Elijah, who just walked in after Klaus told him that Kol would be meeting with him, decided to ask him something.

"Why did you allow the rumors of your death to be at Elena and Jeremy's hands?" Kol shook his head.

"As no one could tell Katerina and Elena apart, those that knew hated it but Elena said that it had to happen. If she told one person, another person would say something else."

"How's she doing?"

"She's hurting because of you, Rebekah and Hayley. I have a feeling that she'll never want to be around you anymore." Kol said sadly to him. It was sad as he could see them together but now, it was just a fantasy. A dream.

"Never is a long time," Elijah said gently. "I have to at least try Kol. I thought you were dead. I thought my baby brother was dead, Kol. Before that I...Kol she means something to me." Kol had never seen his brother so unwound. Elijah was always the epitome of put together but one girl, Elena could change all that.

"You can try but I sincerely doubt that she will want to talk to you after that." Elijah nodded with his head bowed low.

"What about Caroline?" Klaus asked and Kol snorted.

"If I had to choose between you two as to which one might actually have a chance at talking to them...none of you have a chance anymore."

"You're partially responsible for this Kol," Klaus glowered.

"No," Elijah countered, "he's not. All I had to do was check. All I had to do was ask but instead I was so eager to lay blame at someone's feet. She loves her family. I should have never assumed that she could hurt mine when she knew how much you mean to me. Maybe I should go...not be a reminder to her. I don't want to hurt her."

"So you're going to leave?" Kol couldn't believe his ears. His brother was actually planning on leaving New Orleans. "Where will you go if you do leave?"

"England." Elijah gave him a weak grin. "It's a safe distance away and don't worry, I won't call her. She won't see me or even hear me. She'll be happier."

"But you'll be miserable." Kol pointed out. He glared at Klaus. "Aren't you going to help me persuade our brother that leaving is foolish?" He demanded.

"It's his life Kol," Klaus told him. "If he wants to leave, let him."

"Elijah...please. Please don't leave me." Kol begged. "I need you more than I need Klaus or Rebekah. I need my big brother. Please don't go."

"You have Bonnie now Kol, don't think I haven't noticed the way you look at each other," Elijah gave him a brief smile.

"That's just it Elijah. What the hell do I know about love-about real love. Elijah I need you. I don't want to mess this up. I was just helping her detox from expression and then..."

"Do you really want relationship advice from me?" Elijah gave him a rue smile. "In case you haven't noticed, I have no love life and I highly doubt that you'll ruin this."

"I know that I'm going to mess up and I need you big brother." Kol pulled out the big guns with widening his eyes and looking like a little kid again. "Please 'Lijah. Stay."

That technique wasn't working so he tried a different approach.

"Trust me Elijah before you accused her of murdering me Elena was in love with you. Only a broken heart can sow as many tears as I dried. Remember I'm the brother whose favorite play was to clean up the ones that fell for you two and got their hearts broken. I was the one-night stand revenge sex champion. I don't want to do that anymore. I was getting her clean Elijah and she needed my blood and I could have given it to her in a glass... But I didn't and she found this spell that gives her fangs and she's so beautiful Elijah. She's so strong one minute and so fragile the next...and I need her Elijah...I need her."

"Then don't ruin it." He patted him on the back. "I have to leave the states...as much as I love you little brother, I want you to thrive and I want her to be happy. The only way is for me to leave tonight."

Kol shook his head. "No." Kol wasn't going to give up without a fight. "You promised me 'always and forever' and I want that. Here with you." He turned to groveling. "Don't let me stay here with Nik and Bekah. I'll go insane or be daggered."

"There is rather a high probability of that," Klaus had to agree. "You call him down when he's out of line. I just put him in time out. I have a feeling than at wouldn't work well for Bonnie."

"Elijah how often have I asked you for something? Really asked you? I'm asking you now Elijah," Kol said sincerely, "please 'Lijah."

Meanwhile inside Bonnie had gone quiet. She had abandoned the last few bites of her sundae and then she had become antsy. Finally she had started towards the door only to have Caroline hot on her heels. Bonnie hurried out the door and around to the nearest alley. Caroline caught her and pinned her against the wall before she reached the brothers.

Elijah looked to Bonnie and Caroline before looking to Kol, "that is what love looks like. If Klaus or I laid a hand on you right now a thousand says we would be on the ground in seconds."

Kol turned to Bonnie and Caroline before looking back at his brothers. "That would be correct big brother."

Elijah smiled. "You got me to stay, I'll try to control Niklaus and stay out of the girls' way."

Kol smiled, "and help me not ruin things with Bonnie?"

"Oh we're going to have a long talk about that later. Don't think I wasn't listening earlier. It sounds like you're in deep. Perhaps you could use some advice after all...if you'll listen."

"Caroline its okay. I was just convincing Elijah that he couldn't cut out on the family reunion," Kol called. "On the other hand around the corner there Elena's baby brother and Marcel's protégé just rounded second base."

"Elena's going to have a field day with that." Caroline groaned. She saw her best friend go over to them and flash them away somewhere.

"I think that she's really angry." Bonnie shivered. "Maybe we should all go back and discuss Hayley's punishment?"

VVVV


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13:**

When they returned to the mansion Stefan was reading a book with Rebekah's head cradled in his lap. She was sound asleep and the vampires could hear the steady rhythm of the small heartbeat within her.

"Okay what are we going to do about Hayley?" Bonnie asked as everyone but Rebekah and Stefan crowded the study. Kol started passing around drinks.

"How about just out right killing her?" Elena suggested. "She's worthless at the moment."

"No killing." Klaus barked at her and she glared at him, ready to kill him at the moment only for Elijah to play peacemaker.

"How about we erase her memories of the Originals-excluding Rebekah-and bind her to the curse of her own people?" Elijah asked.

"That's...a lot of magic..." Bonnie sighed.

"Compulsion love," Kol reminded her.

"I vote for that plan," Bonnie said.

"It's still not enough," Elena barked. "I want her to suffer for what she did to me," Elena growled.

"Don't you mean what she did to Klaus?" Kol asserted, "I think you need to air your grievances with someone else love."

"I would but who I would have gone after got herself knocked up with Stefan's baby." Elena said darkly as her eyes flashed over to Rebekah. "So I wanted to see someone die."

Caroline nodded in agreement with Elena.

"She also slept with Tyler." Caroline added with such bitterness that everyone had to make sure that it actually was Caroline.

"Well how about I lend you myself or one of my brothers then," Kol offered and then he got a cheeky grin on his face. "You make take us into the backyard and incapacitate us as many times as you would like until you feel better; after we deal with Hayley. Now anyone have another viable plan besides compel her and curse her?"

Her eyes danced brightly. "You promise?" Elena asked and at Kol's nod, she looked like a kid in a candy store.

"That seems to be the best plan so far." Caroline said with a sigh. "Bring her ass down here and let's get it over with."

Kol went to retrieve Hayley while Elijah felt Elena's angry gaze on him. He would let her snap his neck a hundred times if it would help her feel better. Kol appeared a moment later with Hayley. Klaus looked deep in her eyes and compelled her to forget him and his brothers but to remember that she was being punished for betrayal.

"Alright Bonnie," Klaus said, "you're up."

Bonnie began to read off the curse and felt a burning inside her as she did. She didn't want to look and yet she couldn't turn away as she watched Hayley forced into her wolf form. Tattered clothing lay on the floor and Hayley bared her teeth.

"In a room full of vampires may not have been the best place for this," Bonnie worried but Klaus reached down fearlessly and gripped her by the back of the neck. He then pulled her along to the back doors and put her out.

"Good riddance."

"So who are you offering up to me?" Elena asked Kol. "The Hybrid ass or the Noble ass?"

Kol blinked at her. "Elena darling, which one do you want?"

"I'm torn," she said mockingly. "Who to choose?"

"Why don't I pick for you?" Caroline asked her sweetly.

"Your quarrel is with me Elena," Elijah said boldly, "why don't we take this outside?"

"There now," Caroline grinned, "and if he doesn't satisfy you then you can have Klaus afterwards."

"I thought you wanted to have me now love," Klaus grinned wolfishly at his double entendres.

"Oh we will," Elena purred. "Then if you don't satisfy my need for you to be a hell of a lot smarter then I also get Mr Hybrid ass. Care can play as well."

"This will be fun!" Caroline got out happily.

Elijah walked outside with Elena after leaving his suit jacket and tie inside. Elena didn't even wait for him to turn around and face her before she jerked his arm behind his back listening as the bones snapped. She thrust him down onto his knees breaking the bones in his hand before she snapped his neck. As he lie motionless she proceeded to break ribs, arms and anything else she could get to in her rage. Kol winced as he watched the pain Elena was releasing on his brother. It was almost a half hour before Elijah regained consciousness and he cried out as his body finally began to heal; if this helped Elena though he would do anything. As soon as he could he was on his feet. This time when she came at him he began to block her advances. He wasn't attacking her but he was giving her a bit of a challenge.

She smiled at him. "I do love a challenge." Each kick, punch and block she did, he copied her.

She found an opening on his left side and sent a well aimed kick there that had him on his knees in agony.

"Damn it Elena," he gasped. He made no move to stop her and let her continue her assault hoping that it would help heal some of the pain he had caused her.

"I have never seen Elena like this," Bonnie murmured against Kol.

"I have never seen Elijah like this," Kol said tenderly. He had never seen his brother take this kind of aggression from anyone. It was a testament to the depth of his feelings for her.

She did stop but made no move to help him up. Walking past him, she fixed her jeans and halter top before smiling coldly.

"Care's turn to play." Elena said with a wicked smirk covering her face.

Caroline grinned and fluttered to stand where Elena was and she waited for Klaus to get there.

"I'd hurry if I were you," she said to Klaus. "I have a rather important business meeting to get to."

Klaus didn't give Caroline any free shots. He made her work for every agonizing, bone crushing score she got. Finally he groaned as she cut him across the cheek and the chest. She held his gaze with her own cold one before with some effort she snapped his neck and dropped him to the ground. Just for good measure she broke several of his bones so he could enjoy the pain when he regained consciousness.

"That's a move usually reserved for me," Kol said under his breath. The old Kol would have found it hilarious to watch his brothers be beaten by girls but no way was he going to say anything about this because he understood. Elijah tried to pull himself back together.

"Now I should change," Caroline picked at her dress in disgust. "There's gross hybrid blood all over it." Elena chuckled.

"This business meeting you have wouldn't be with three witches in Rousseau's now would it?" Elena teased her. The blonde smirked.

"They wanted to make a deal with me. I'm having Marcel come with me so we can all work out the deal." Elena nodded at her friend.

"Want me to come along?" Caroline shook her head. "Fine-I'll just babysit these idiots, Bonnie, Kol, Stefan, Davina and Jeremy then."

"Next time you can come." Caroline promised before she left with Marcel. Elena turned to look at Kol.

"How long do you think they'll be out?" she asked as she moved to go inside the house.

"It doesn't usually take them that long," Kol said as he looked at his brothers. "I'd say maybe an hour or so... Would you like to have a drink while we wait?" They walked into the sun room and Kol poured them each a scotch from the drink cart there. "Did that help a little?" He asked casually with a smirk as they gazed out at the lifeless bodies of his brothers.

"Not by that much." Elena admitted. "Though maybe now they'll learn their lesson and not listen to little spoiled brats who believe they're entitled to whatever they want." It was a jab at Rebekah and both Kol and Bonnie knew it.

"I could make them see that she's just vain and wants whatever it is but Klaus dotes on her as much as Finn did. Elijah tries to make her see reason but she sees it her way or no way."

"It's a damn shame that I can't physically attack her at the moment." Elena pouted. "It would be much more fun."

"She's pregnant." Bonnie told her and Elena nodded.

"I know-that's why verbal abuse will have to do." Elena told her as she took a sip of the scotch.

"Kol what the hell did you do!" Rebekah exclaimed as she joined them outside a little over an hour later. Klaus and Elijah had just regained consciousness and were writhing in pain.

"Bekah stay out of it and go back in the house," Kol growled.

"They're glad that you're not dead and this is how you repay them?" Her emotions were spiraling out of control and she was crying though she hadn't intended to.

"Oh god blondie!" Elena shouted at her. "Shut up! No one wants to hear you cry at all!" She ended up rubbing her temples. "You're also giving me a headache so be thankful that you're still in fine form otherwise you'd join your brothers out there."

Rebekah screamed at her. "You bitch! This is all your fault! You ruined my family!"

Elena got right in her face and slapped her roughly across the face with enough human force to make her head go back.

"You did that yourself." Elena told her. "You ruined your life, Stefan's life and your family's lives. I didn't and grow up! Did you know that it was Mikael's and Damon's plan to have you daggered? They needed my help so I helped."

"Well you could have said no," Rebekah snapped, "but that's right you never knew how to say no when there was a Salvatore involved! I just hope to hell this will help my brother get over the stupid feelings he has for you!"

"Rebekah please go back inside and lie down. This kind of stress isn't good for you," Kol growled.

"I'm thinking that you didn't hear me correctly." Elena looked at her and shouted. "YOUR FATHER WAS THE ONE WHO HAD THE PLAN YOU BITCH! HE WANTED TO END KLAUS AND DIDN'T WANT YOU INVOLVED!" She sneered at her pale face. "Unlike you, I can say no to a Salvatore but you can't. You bedded both brothers-I never did. Just because it was Damon's blood that sired me means nothing."

Everyone who was surrounding them was watching this in wonder. Elena was putting Rebekah in her place with what she was saying.

It also appeared that Elena was brutally honest.

"You sure as hell don't need to worry about that." Elena snapped. "Everything that I feel is gone. I have no feelings for anyone but my family and happily you're not in it."

Those words hurt Elijah worse than any of the blows Elena had dealt him. He was still lying outside as his bones were healing but he heard every word. She hated him and not only that but he had crushed the beautiful compassion within her. The noble original felt lower than low. Rebekah foolishly made a move to get in Elena's face and Kol had to get in between them. Finally between him and Stefan they got Rebekah to go back in.

Elena needed to leave the house otherwise her impressive 'I feel nothing' façade would be ruined and at this moment, she didn't need it ruined.

"I'm leaving as I'm rather bored here." She looked and waved goodbye to Kol, Stefan and Bonnie with kisses to their cheeks before leaving the house and going back to the Compound where she locked herself in her room and repeated the words over and over again.

"You don't care about what happens to Elijah. You hate him for everything he's done."

 **VVVV**

Elijah himself was in his study and made his way over to the bar. He would have poured himself some scotch in a glass but decided to drink it out of the bottle. He should have left and he could feel as low as he wants without it being rubbed in his face but Kol needed him. Pulling the bottle from his lips, he just began staring at the bottle before he turned and threw it at the opposite wall.

It was only seconds later that Kol walked in and saw the shards.

"You got mad and threw the bottle?" he asked as he lounged in the couch across from the desk. Seeing the expression on his brother's face, he felt a little dead inside. "You really loved her, didn't you?"

"I believe that I always will." Elijah breathed out. "I could have had her but I broke her. I broke her Kol."

"I don't believe it's permanent. A very wise man once told me me that love is a strength not a weakness. If it was Bonnie I wouldn't give up. I don't think she's irreparable."

 **VVVV**

"Elena are you okay?" Bonnie asked when Elena picked up the phone.

"I'm fine," Elena lied. "Never better." Elena was wondering why Bonnie called.

"I know you Elena and you're not fine so don't lie to me. Okay?"

There were times that Elena just wished that she shut it off but for Caroline's sake, she kept it in the middle.

"Bonnie, I'm fine. Really." Bonnie wasn't buying it at all.

"Okay, well I just thought I'd see if maybe my best friend needed me," Bonnie said nonchalantly. "I'll talk to you later."  
She hung up the phone and then found herself enacting the vampire spell again. It was time for her daily dose of Kol's blood and he seemed to enjoy when she did it this way. She put her hand over her mouth as she felt the pain of the fangs breaking through. She stared at herself in the bedroom mirror and concentrated until she got them to recede and she looked normal again. She bounced downstairs in search of Kol and found him in the study with Elijah.  
"Are you okay?" Bonnie asked. "I'm really sorry about today. I can't believe Elena actually did that."

"She needed to do it and I don't blame her." Elijah told her as he sat down and stared at the bottles on his bar.

 **VVVV**


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14:**

He stood up and left to go to Rousseau's and sat down on a stool, calling Cami over.

The blonde barmaid looked and pushed a glass in front of him before filling it up for him and smiled at him.

"What's wrong today?" She asked once she saw the depressed look on his face.

"Have you ever truly fallen in love?" he asked her and at the shake of her head, he smiled. "When you do, don't break them like I did." He drained the whole glass and she filled it up for him once more. "I fell in love with this one girl and because of a few horrible things-I found her and realized that I broke her." He shook his head. "I remember telling my sister that our mother didn't make us into monsters, we did that ourselves." He shared a bitter smile at the woman who knew all about the supernatural. "I was right-we are monsters."

"Have you tried making it up to her?" Cami asked and at his nod, she winced.

"She won't talk to you at all?" At his nod, she shook her head. "Wow. You really did do a number on her."

"I did the world a disservice. She was so beautifully innocent and full of compassion; she was full of life," Elijah waxed on as he motioned for Cami to keep them coming. "If you ever find something that beautiful and rare hold on with both hands and don't let anyone or anything get in the way."

"You really do love her." Cami was amazed. "Maybe try being her friend again?" When he was silent, she went to go serve some people when she saw a brunette eighteen year old with a red strand in her hair and she saw Elijah stare at the girl before going back to his drink.

Making her way back to Elijah, she took his glass away and gave him a look before nodding her head in the girl's direction.

"Ask to see if you could be her friend. If she says no, I'll give you back your drink." Cami ordered him in a pleading tone.

Elijah felt like reminding her that he was an original. He didn't take orders. Furthermore he could compel her or simply take the drink back by force. He did none of those things. Instead he walked over to Elena and sat next to her.

"I heard you really annihilated some guy today. I have to say I'm impressed. Can I buy you a drink?"

Elena snorted at him. "Pick up lines now?" she looked at him and he looked like hell. "Why are you even here Elijah?"

"I was hoping that you and I could be friends or even allies again." He gave her a rue smile. "It's okay if you don't want to."

Seriously? The oldest living original vampire was asking to be her friend? She thought for a second about refusing him but he looked like she felt all these months and a little voice deep inside her stopped the thought. Instead she put on her best Elijah impersonation.

"Your word means nothing until you follow through. Trust has to be earned. I'll let you buy me that drink though." She gave him the barest of smiles before settling back in her seat.

He smiled and went over to Cami and ordered a scotch for her.

"Buying a drink is a start," Cami smiled. "Everything starts somewhere."

Elijah turned to look at Elena and then back to Cami. "Yes well wish me luck."

"Luck"

Elijah returned to Elena and handed her the scotch as he sat properly next to her.

"So...what have you been up to while here in the city?" he asked casually. She looked at him and snorted.

"Browsing through the French Quarter with bodyguards-that day we spoke was the day I was able to get rid of them." He tried not to wince but it was seen a bit.

"That man you were with..." he looked at her. "What happened to him?"

"He's in Mexico now." She smirked. "He was just some poor passerby and I followed him. I also had never been to a House of Voodoo so I went inside."

"Was it to your liking?" Elijah asked. "This is a fascinating city. I have always enjoyed my time here. Perhaps I could recommend some attractions."

"That would be lovely." She looked over at him and her eyes went cold. He could feel his heart deflating until she stood up and found a witch.

"I've been meaning to have a word with you about hexing me Sabine." Elena's cold voice made the dark skinned woman shiver.

"I'm sorry!" She shouted at her. Elena dropped her and looked at Elijah.

"Do you want to kill her or should I?" she asked him.

"I'll do it," Elijah said. "You don't need any more blood on your hands. My body count is already too high for any redemption. Let me be clear though. What did she do to warrant death?"

"She placed a hex on me and Caroline and tried killing Davina one too many times already." Elena answered him as she smirked at him. "The hex would have killed Caroline and I but because Davina undid the hex, it tried killing her until Sophie decided to even the playing field and placed the hex on a cat."

Elijah gave Sabine a look that made her wish that it was Elena killing her.

"I abhor dark magic," Elijah said in a low voice as he walked the witch out behind the bar.

"No one messes with my family," Elijah said firmly. His eyes never left Elena's as he decapitated the witch with a sweep of his hand. Afterwards he calmly pulled out his handkerchief and wiped his hands clean.

"Interesting technique though I prefer the ripping out hearts bit myself." She told him as she walked calmly to stand beside him. "Less messy."

"Only you." He chuckled lightly and lowly to her. "Only you." She flashed him a smile that was reminiscent of her before he broke her.

It was uplifting to see it again.

He wasn't going to screw it up again.

"I had actually thought of going that route but you did mention the beheading the other night so I thought perhaps you'd like another look," Elijah commented.

She laughed. "Oh of course." She shook her head. "You should have gone through with ripping out the heart." He gave her a low chuckle.

"Next time I kill someone, I'll go that route."

She wanted to tell him she had missed this-missed him but she couldn't. It was too soon; the hurt was still too fresh. Instead she led the way out of the alley and soon they were on the river walk strolling along casually.

"It's a nice evening," Elena broke the companionable silence and instantly felt stupid for such a comment.

"It is indeed." He told her.

"I can't believe I caught Jeremy and Davina scoring second base," Elena made a face as she remembered encountering that. "Oh you probably have no idea what that is..."

"I don't think that I want to know." He told her with a smirk.

"If we were on friendlier terms you would..." Elena teased, "you see first base is French kissing, second base is under the shirt, third base is fingering and other things and a home run...well you can work that one out I'm sure."

He had a little grin on his face. "I'm pretty sure that you've experienced all three."

She shook her head. "Only three bases with Matt, Stefan and Damon. Not one of them was that great."

"Obviously they didn't know what they were doing," Elijah replied evenly. "Would you like an ice cream?" He asked as they passed a stand.

"Yes please," she smiled. They both ended up with a scoop of chocolate and a scoop of vanilla.

"So how long do you plan on staying?" He asked hoping that she didn't plan to leave the city now that everyone else was here. He felt obligated to stay with Kol and Bekah right now.

"I'm planning on living here." She admitted to him in between licks of her ice cream. She looked up at him. "Why? Are you leaving?"

"I had planned to but then Kol used his youngest brother tactics. He's going through something important and he talked me into helping," Elijah sighed, "this is a relatively large city though. There's no reason our paths have to cross overly much. I will try to keep my siblings reined in." He paused to look out over the Mississippi River.

She gave a curt nod. "Keep Klaus and Rebekah reined in for us and no trouble with go after you and yours. I give you my word." He laughed.

"I will honor our agreement then."

Elijah walked her to the compound that his family used to call home.

"Thank you for a pleasant evening, Elena," he said and he kissed her knuckles before he watched her walk away.

When he returned to the house he heard noise in the study. Through the open door he was shocked to see Bonnie staring in the mirror at a set of fangs! Had Kol turned her? He had to admit there was something almost sensual about watching the young witch finger the delicate fangs. Kol came in from the other door and settled on the couch pulling Bonnie down with him before she sank her fangs into his neck and Kol groaned.

"Is there something I should know?" He asked them with a raised eyebrow.

Kol let out a low groan.

VVVV


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15:**

Bonnie lifted her head with Kol's blood still trailing out the corner of her mouth. She blushed with embarrassment as her little tongue darted out to clean up and a second later Kol's mouth was on hers. The kiss was brief and then they turned their attention to Elijah. He watched as her fangs neatly receded.

"It's a spell," Bonnie explained. "Kol has been detoxing me with his blood and one night I came across this spell and I wanted to see what it was like. Kol really seemed to like it..."

Elijah just shook his head at the two.

"Next time you both want to do this," he cautioned. "Do it in your room Kol."

Bonnie looked at Kol and then flitted out of the room.

"Sorry Elijah, Bekah is down for the count and Klaus is out. I didn't think we'd be disturbed. She's just so...beautiful like that." Kol smirked.

"Yes well you may want to ask yourself why she's so eager to play vampire for you. Did the thought occur to you that maybe she is trying it on?" Elijah asked offering Kol a smile.

"I haven't." Kol looked at his big brother and smiled. "Where were you?"

"At Rousseau's." Elijah answered.

"Did you meet someone?" Kol asked.

"The lovely Elena actually," Elijah replied.

"How did that go?"

"Well we wound up walking the Riverwalk and she let me buy her ice cream. All it took was killing a witch who did quite rightly deserve it."

"So you're well on your way to getting her back!" Kol quipped quite happily. "Now what did the witch do?"

"Placing a hex on Elena and Caroline that would have killed them, Davina undoing the hex and nearly died." Elijah told him. "So she asked me if she should kill her or if I would."

"Is her heart missing?"

"I took her head off." He sighed. "I also said that I would make sure our siblings would be reined in."

"That's going to be easier said than done than done, Elijah," Kol sighed. "Rebekah is a mess. Her emotions are all over the place. She's tired, cranky and crying."

"She's pregnant Kol," Elijah rubbed his temples with his fingers. "She's going to be going through every single emotion just like a human but because of the vampire status...they're all enhanced."

"We're going to need a lot of alcohol to get through this, aren't we?" Kol asked with a whine in his voice.

"We may end up living at Rousseau's." Elijah teased him.

"I don't know anything about..."

"Oh yes that's right," Elijah smiled softly. "I forgot how young you were. Well I helped deliver both Rebekah and you. It's an amazing experience Kol. There are more good moments than bad. She's in one of the most trying parts right now and it's worse right now because it hit her all at once instead of her body gradually increasing the hormones. This is all something you might want to help me with in case Bonnie gets pregnant; vampires don't exactly go to hospitals."

Kol paled dramatically. "I'll wait until I see how Rebekah's doing with this." Elijah nodded and gave his brother a look.

"What else have you been up to while pretending to be dead?" He asked as he focused on his little brother.

"Mostly Bonnie," Kol said. "Getting her detoxed off Expression was an arduous task. It was worth it though. Then I helped her to learn some Nature spells so we could investigate Hayley for you. Also I was kind of watching over Elena and Caroline from a distance."

"How have they actually been?" He was curious. Maybe she did, in a way, forgive him but he wasn't going to hold onto that hope for long.

"Caroline and Marcel just recently begun dating and he's been protective of her." Kol was thinking as he spoke. "I think that he's more worried about her losing it since her mother's death-" he was interrupted by Elijah.

"Liz Forbes is dead?" he asked in horror. Kol realized that Elijah had no idea.

"Katherine-portraying Elena-and Damon killed her."

"Where are they at now?" He wasn't going to waste anytime in finding and slaughtering them now. Kol chuckled.

"I sent them off to New York and had five witches loyal to me trap them there. They can't leave the city now."

"No wonder they hate us," Elijah sighed. "I promised to protect her and this is what I allowed to happen to those closest to her. Caroline loses her mother, Elena I blame for your death and we almost lost Bonnie to Expression; all of those things because I dared to have feelings for Elena."

"No," Kol denied. "She was already going down that path when she desiccated Nik. She had to kill Jeremy to do it and it made a home inside her." He did bow his head. "For Caroline's mother-she didn't know this but it appears that Liz would have died anyway because she had a brain tumor. It was already getting bad so she went out fighting." He shook his head. "As for Elena-that can be your fault as much as it's hers. She had feelings for you as well but because you both decided to be idiots and not act on it, that's on you both."

"She was with Stefan at the time." Elijah denied.

"And you told her that you wouldn't fall for another Petrova but you lied to her."

"When did you get to be so wise," Elijah scoffed with a gentle smile. "You've grown up Kol...when I wasn't looking you've become a fine man. Thank you for looking out for Elena and Caroline when Klaus and I were too bull-headed to do so. Yes, I lied to her...I didn't mean to fall in love with her, just like you may have thought Bonnie was a one-night thing. Love finds you when you least expect it and if it's real I think we should hold on with both hands."

"I think that I'm taking after you brother." He smiled at him. "I better take after you otherwise I'll be as psychotic as Nik and trust me, that isn't good."

Elijah laughed. "That is correct." He then ushered his brother out with the words, "go talk with Bonnie and help her. I'm going to check up on our sister and then I may end up taking a stroll."

"Over to the Compound? Late night visit to Elena?" Kol teased him as he left. Elijah shook his head and walked into Rebekah's room.

Knowing that she was sound asleep, he left the house and pulling his trench coat up to his chin, he made his way unconsciously, over to the Compound.

Closing his eyes, he let his senses take over him as he searched out Elena's and smirked. She was in his room and as he flashed up to the window, he knocked on it, causing her to jump.

"What in the world are you doing here?" she demanded as she stood before him in a pair of very short sleep shorts and a spaghetti strap top.

"May I come in?" he asked always the gentleman. Elena's face contorted as she pretended to consider. She walked over and opened the window.

"We have perfectly good doors," she said. "Though I'm guessing you wished to remain anonymous."

"I just found myself here and wanted to see you," Elijah said honestly. "I had a really nice time earlier."

"Me too," Elena felt the words slip out of her mouth before she could stop them. Elijah felt a little over-dressed with the brevity of her attire and he removed his trench coat and draped it over the back of a chair. He had left his suit jacket at home and now had only his shirt with the top two buttons undone and his slacks.

"You look positively undressed," Elena smirked in jest at his attire.

He had to let out a smile. "I just felt like being undressed a bit this time." His eyes trailed over to hers. "I would be honored if we could have another outing-just the two of us-at a more suitable restaurant in the near future."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you trying to get under all these layers to find that girl I used to be?" she questioned him.

"I just want to get to know you more." Honest was the only way to go with her and he would endure being that honest.

"I think a nice dinner would work as long as you promise to leave those siblings-excluding Kol-reigned in while they live here."

"I will give you my word again."

Elijah laughed lightly, "there was a time you were more afraid of Kol than even Klaus and that was really saying something. You needn't worry about Kol though." Elijah got a smirk on his face, "After our walk earlier I came home to find Bonnie fingering a set of fangs - hers! Then she used them on Kol like a pro. It turns out they're a spell but I wonder if she's not trying the lifestyle change on. I think Kol is in deeper than he knows yet..."

Elena could feel her own shock flowing through her. "A spell to give her fangs? Why-when I was human...why didn't I had that spell put on me? It would have been awesome!"

He pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I believe she had recently found the spell and as he's been helping her detox from that Expression magic..."

She had to nod. "I heard about her detox. I'm proud of her for going through with Kol's plan." She made her way over to the stereo and began to play some jazz music. She gave him a smirk again. "I would have had another playlist on but I thought that tonight would be my jazz night."

"Well you're in the city for it. Jazz was born here in The Crescent City." He stood and then offered his hand out to her. She took it hesitantly but he pulled her into a careful dance form and began to sway slowly with her. As once song drifted into another and more saxophone drifted in his movements became more fluent and from the hips and his body drifted a little closer to hers.

She felt like she was on top of the world until she realized who this was. Every part of her wanted to push him away but she couldn't.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't push him away.

Suddenly he stopped and pulled back.

"I'm sorry Elena, forgive me. That was far too forward..." he stepped back from her. "I should go..."

"You don't have to." She whispered but as he looked at her, she can feel the switch she spent months in that safe zone go slightly up to give her more humanity than she would allow.

"I must-otherwise Niklaus would end up doing something that would break my word to you on keeping him and Rebekah reigned in." He moved in closer to cup her cheeks in his hands which made her close her eyes and he tenderly kissed her forehead as he murmured into her hair, "we will meet again tomorrow night for that dinner, don't worry."

He was gone the second she opened them and for the first time since she spoke to Rebekah on the phone in which she lied to her and to Elijah...she felt a tear slide down her face.

Using her thumb, she wiped it away and tried harder to keep that balance she had.

He knew how to turn on her emotions but she didn't need them on-she had to show the witches who believed in completing the Harvest Ritual that doing so is a bad idea.

They'll be heartless within the month that it would take them to complete it.

 **VVVV**


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16:**

Elijah felt more alive than he had in months as he returned to the mansion. For a few minutes it was as though they had gone back in time. She had been the Elena he knew; all warm and soft. It only served to make him miss her more. Rebekah was raiding the refrigerator when he got in and Klaus was surprisingly quiet as he painted in his studio. As Elijah looked in he realized why; Klaus' subject matter was all too familiar as he took in the delicate blonde waves that were coming to life on the canvas. Elijah continued on to the study and settled on the couch to have a scotch before bed.

He didn't even make it to the door of his study when he heard Rebekah screech.

"We have nothing good to eat!" He wanted to open that door and have his scotch but he couldn't as Rebekah's cries were louder than he thought possible.

"What is it that you want?" Kol asked as he was beside his sister instantly. She glared at him.

"Nothing from you-for all I know it could be tainted with that witch's magic!" She hissed coldly. Klaus appeared and asked her the same question but got a different response. "I wanted some dark chocolate truffles and maybe a steak dinner with all the fixings-mash potatoes and gravy, something green-the likes and a tall glass of strawberry lemonade."

Within minutes Klaus had gone to the store for truffles, Elijah was making potatoes and steak while Kol was making turnip greens and lemonade. All of her brothers were pitching in for her.

"Is there anything I can do Rebekah?" Stefan asked as he joined her at the breakfast bar where she was watching her brothers cook.

"Bonnie?" Elijah asked Kol.

"Exhausted from all the spells and sound asleep," Kol replied. "Are you doing okay sister?" Kol was genuinely worried about her. The two of them had always been close. Before she could answer he meal had come together and that was about the time Klaus made it back from the store with the truffles.

"Stefan-no," she smiled widely at him. "There's nothing I need you to do for me." He nodded and she dug into her food with a vengeance.

"I have a feeling the few months are going to be going down this same route." Kol said with a pale look. "Elijah, brother, you know that I love you and all-"

"What is it Kol?" Elijah knew better than to listen to Kol's confession of brotherly love when he was scared. It was his 'go to' move when he was extremely scared.

"Can I live with the girls in the Compound?" he asked.

"I have a feeling we both may end up living there by the end of the third month." Elijah whispered to him.

Bonnie had forgotten to lift the spell and was shocked when she woke up the next morning with her fangs out and an overwhelming urge to bite Kol's neck which is what he woke up to. He woke up with a grin on his face.

Elijah also woke up feeling much more optimistic than he had in some time and it was all because of Elena.

Bonnie had forgotten to lift the spell and was shocked when she woke up the next morning with her fangs out and an overwhelming urge to bite Kol's neck which is what he woke up to. He woke up with a grin on his face.

Elijah also woke up feeling much more optimistic than he had in some time and it was all because of Elena.

Once everyone was downstairs, breakfast was an interesting affair as Rebekah was given only toast and tea for her stomach. After that, everyone went into the living room.

"So what's the game plan for the day?" Klaus asked as he began painting Caroline again. Rebekah was on the couch with a book about pregnancy and Stefan was sitting beside her, also reading the book.

Elijah shrugged. "I am to keep you and Rebekah reigned in." Elijah said evenly. "Though tonight I do have a dinner date." He added to their shocked looks.

"I'm visiting the girls and giving Jeremy pointers." Kol added. "Bonnie's coming with me to visit all of them as well."

Klaus and Rebekah glared at the two. "So you promised that wench that you would reign us in?" Rebekah asked spitefully.

"Yes, I did but honestly Rebekah you need to be home resting. I know you don't want anything to happen to this baby," Elijah replied. "This city doesn't need to be torn apart just to prove we're here. Now can I count on the two of you to be on good behavior?"

"Yes brother," Klaus said with a hint of unbridled loyalty to him. "You can trust me when I say that I am more loyal to you and that I will keep my word."

Kol smiled at his third eldest brother before turning to look at his baby sister.

"Will you be on your best behavior Rebekah?" Kol demanded of her.

She pouted and whined petulantly. "Yes."

"If Kol and I can't deliver your cooperation then I am sure Marcel will get involved and I don't want to have to deal with that," Elijah said firmly.

"You know Kol's more likely to rip this city apart than any of the rest of us," Rebekah protested.

"I don't think so anymore Bekah," Klaus grinned. He was beginning to see what Elijah had been talking about. Kol was taking on a different set of challenges and it had nothing to do with killing and destroying.

"Okay is it time to go see Elena and Care?" Bonnie asked as she bounded downstairs in her skinny jeans and flounced Chanel pink silk top with pin tucks down the front and lace cutouts near the bottom hem. The top was very billowing in contrast to the skinny jeans. Kol smiled as he took her in.

"Yes I think we can be on our way now," he said and with a nod to Elijah they took his BMW to the compound.

They were searched as soon as the entered and Kol rolled his eyes as they thrust him up against a wall and restrained him to do so. Bonnie was a little frightened by that but Kol shrugged with that easy grin on his face. That was when Bonnie realized that he was letting the other two vampires feel like they were in control. He was very calmly playing by their rules despite the fact that none of them could take him.

"We didn't come armed," Kol laughed, "as if we would need it."

Caroline was the first to appear in the courtyard and Bonnie hurried to her and enveloped her in a hug.

"Care it's SO good to see you," Bonnie grinned and a moment later they were joined by Elena. Kol strolled easily into the courtyard to join them as soon as his search was over. He was determined to be on his best behavior because that is what Elijah and Bonnie needed from him.

Elena smiled at the two before she glanced at the vampires who held Kol up against the wall. Walking calmly over to them, she broke each arm and leg before shoving them against the wall Kol was on.

"The two of them are here at mine and Caroline's convenience," she hissed at them. "If you want to live then do not piss me off. You will end up either heartless or headless. Understand?"

They nodded and ran off to tell Marcel about the visitors. Turning around to them, she gave them her best cutesy and innocent girly smile.

"I'm sorry about them but they shouldn't bug you anymore." She said sweetly.

"Not a problem Elena," Kol shrugged casually with an easy smile. "Is Jeremy around? I thought he and I could have a chat while you girls do your thing." Bonnie grinned at him. The nicer he was to her best friends the more she just absolutely loved him.

"He's with Davina at the ice cream shop with Thierry watching them." Elena said in an apologetic voice. "I think that they're both really serious about each other." She added.

Kol smirked. "He has been bit by the love bug as well."

"Don't you mean-he's been hit by Cupid's arrow?" Caroline asked.

Blinking, he nodded.

"Well in that case just pretend I'm not here," Kol smiled and a moment later he easily vaulted up a couple of balcony railings and was on the second story roof. Bonnie blushed at Kol's action before turning her attention back to Caroline and Elena.

"Okay so I'm here," she smiled, "let's talk."

"Hmmm what to talk about?" Caroline questioned in a teasing voice. "Maybe about Elena's mystery man?"

Elena rolled her eyes. "It was Elijah and no-we just talked." She gave Caroline a pointed look. "He and I do have a business dinner tonight-just me and him." She added.

The girls grinned at each other before Caroline and Bonnie ushered Elena up to Caroline's room to get her ready for her date.

They wanted her to make Elijah fall to his knees and let loose.

Bonnie gave Elena a bottle of body oil to use.

"What is this?" Elena asked.

"Just a little something I whipped up with Elijah in mind," Bonnie smirked, "it's Bourbon, strawberries, a hint of apricot and roses." Caroline took out the stopped and inhaled.

"It's sex in a bottle!" she exclaimed.

"I have observed that these are all things that Elijah seems to equate with pleasure so..." Bonnie shrugged. Once Elena had used the oil liberally and put a small bottle in her clutch for later Caroline started on wardrobe selection while Bonne put Elena's hair into a low French roll in the back. It was stylish and sultry at the same time. She then gave Elena some very sexy eye make-up. Finally Caroline selected a navy, one-shoulder, silk gown with a bubble hem. Bonnie found some wedges with beautiful silver metallic t-straps.

"If he can make complete sentences when he sees you then he's heartless," Caroline grinned.

"I think it's good that the two of you are at least mending fences," Bonnie said gently.

"Mending fences! There was Jazz music and dancing going on in here last night!" Caroline giggled.

"Okay Bonnie...I'm turning the tables now. I want to see your new little play toys," Elena said pointedly. Bonnie looked confused, "Elijah told me what he caught you and Kol doing last night." Bonnie turned fifty shades of red.

"Come on let me see them," Elena demanded. Bonnie looked a little nervous but then concentrated and her two friends watched in surprise as veins spread her face and she opened her mouth to reveal the delicate pair of fangs sliding out.

"OMG! Did he turn you?" Caroline exclaimed.

"No," Bonnie blushed, "it's just a spell..."

"Why would you want a spell to simulate...oh..." Caroline answered her own question and Bonnie could not get anymore red if she tried.

"They look fantastic," Elena smiled.

"Well you've seen mine. I think turnabout is fair play," Bonnie said as she felt her own fangs receding. It was getting less startling every time she did that.

"You wanna see ours?" Elena asked. She stood up and twirled a bit. She was absolutely in love with the outfit. "I actually think I should make this dinner into a lunch meeting."

Grabbing her phone, she called Elijah. She was pleasantly surprised when he answered his phone.

"Miss Elena? Is everything alright?" He asked.

"Everyone is fine but I was thinking that instead of our dinner tonight we make it lunch instead?"

"That sounds like a good idea." She was shocked that he agreed to the lunch date.

Hanging up, she smirked at the girls.

"Yes I want to see them," Bonnie urged. The first time she had lifted the spell right afterward but each time she had left it a little longer and now this time she hadn't even thought about lifting it.

The girls nodded and showed off their fangs. Bonnie looked mesmerized by them.

"Have a completely good time on your date," Bonnie grinned. They watched as Elena left and then Bonnie settled on the bed with Caroline. "I hope they can forgive each other."

Kol inhaled as the pleasant smell wafted up to him. Elena was going to drive his brother crazy. He watched her saunter through the courtyard. As she walked through the compound's entrance Elijah was leaned against a red Ferrari 458 Italia in another of his gorgeous suits. He smirked as he moved from the side of the car and opened the passenger door.

"Elena you look lovely today," Elijah smiled. As he helped her into the car he inhaled deeply and moaned as her scent turned every inch of him on.

Hearing his moan, she grinned. Seeing just how uncomfortable he was and the fact that he kept trying to control himself, she decided to make it harder for him to concentrate on anything at the moment.

Moving her hand to his thigh, she rubbed it as well as squeezed it.

"Where are we going for lunch?" She asked him casually.

"Elena don't poke a tiger," Elijah warned. He did not like to be toyed with and he wasn't going to be used and tossed aside. He wanted more from her than that. With a gentle grip on her wrist he returned her hand to her lap.

"I thought perhaps you would like to go to Commanders Palace," Elijah suggested. As he pulled up he tossed the keys to the valet and reached a hand in for Elena. He escorted her into the high-end restaurant and they were taken to the room with a view of the courtyard. Though the rest of the restaurant was teaming with patrons this room was empty save them. "I didn't want to be disturbed," he said with a smile as he pulled out her chair and she realized he'd bought out part of a restaurant for her.

"You smell delectable," he groaned.

"Really?" She gave him a flirty smile and leaned over on the table to fix his tie. His eyes dilated and his breathing was harsher. "You really should learn how to dress yourself up better."

He looked ready to take her out of the restaurant and make her cry out his name over and over again.

The waitress came and Elijah turned his attention to ordering the courses. A few minutes merlot and calamari appeared. Elijah began enjoying his food.

"So things between your little brother and the witch are going well?" Elijah asked. "I hope that's not an issue for Marcel..." While he might want to give in and flirt with her he knew that after all the animosity between them she would regret it and hate herself and quite probably him as well. So he was determined to keep things even and restrain himself.

She shook her head. "Actually he thinks they look good together and yes, they are going good. He took her out for ice cream again."

Her eyes were bright when she spoke and he smiled at her.

"What about our soon to be mother?" She asked him.

Elijah smiled gently, "Rebekah has wanted to be a mother for almost a thousand years now so now she's pretty terrified that something will go wrong. Couple that with her body being flooded with ten weeks of pregnancy all at once and she's a mess. Her emotions are all over the place, she's had some sickness which doesn't happen to a vampire and her body aches as it's trying to play catch-up. I think she's scaring Kol a little," Elijah laughed as he remembered Kol's reaction from the other night.

"I think once she gets out of the first trimester things should even out," Elijah finished.

"Kol is terrified?" Elena couldn't believe it.

"Very terrified." Elijah still thought he was in a dream as he never believed that this would happen. "Anything new with you?"

"Besides being Caroline's second in command, not much." Elena told him as she took a delicate sip of her wine.

After the calamari they were brought steak and lobster medallions with baby red potatoes and asparagus. Elijah took a long sip of his wine. That scent on her was very effective. Somehow he had a feeling that Bonnie Bennett was responsible.

"What exactly are you commanding?" Elijah asked in a very casual and neutral tone. The more he heard that the more nervous it made him. Elena was too young to know that supernatural factions had long memories and far reaches. She could get in over her head before she realized it and Marcel took after Klaus enough that Elijah could believe that the young protégé would cut ties and leave the two girls to take the fall if things went south.

"You could say that I'm her bodyguard/best friend." She couldn't stop smirking at his curious look. Taking a bite of the food, she nearly moaned about how good it was.

It was a hard job just trying to calm himself down though when he heard the moan she let out, he clutched the utensils to the point that they were almost broken.

Elijah had to concentrate to enjoy his meal. He remembered vaguely enjoying parts of the steak and lobster. The bread pudding was exquisite but by then he was spiking his wine liberally with blood. Finally he was escorting her out to the BMW and he settled her in the passenger seat. He was silent as he pulled the car out into traffic. when they arrived back at the compound he opened her door and helped her out. Her eyes raked over him and Elijah's gaze flared hot.

"I am not made of stone Elena," he growled and suddenly he thrust her gently against the outside wall and a moment later his hand slid into her hair and his lips were pressed against hers. He lost himself in her for a moment before he pulled back. Kol smirked as he could hear them from his vantage point on the roof. He had been listening to his iPhone for a while but then couldn't help listening to Bonnie and Caroline. He wasn't actually paying that much attention to the words. He mostly just wanted to hear the sound of her voice.

Elena let out a growl and pulled him back for another kiss. Her hands were over his muscles that were underneath his shirt and she jumped up, her legs around his waist.

She knew that she was upset with him but when he kissed her, she forgot everything.

His lips were trailing searing kisses over every inch of skin that he had access to.

Finally pulling back, he gave her a nip on her lower lip before smirking.

"When you're ready to fall again," he purred to her mouth. "I'll be waiting. Always and forever."

VVVV


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17:**

Elijah returned back to the house and saw Klaus and Rebekah glaring at one another.

"What's wrong?" He asked nervously.

"He ate my CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES!" She cried angrily.

"Niklaus honestly?" Elijah frowned. "She's pregnant Klaus! She feels really awful and if chocolate truffles make her feel better you don't eat them all!" Elijah pulled Rebekah to him and rubbed her back in what he hoped was a soothing motion.

"Do you still want chocolate truffles or would you like me to get something else?" he asked gently.

"I just want something sweet and chocolate and yummy." She groaned. Stefan smiled at her and said, "I'll be back."

He was gone before anyone could say anything.

Meanwhile Elena had returned inside the compound to Bonnie and Caroline.

"So how did it go?" Bonnie asked Elena. She was glad Elena was back but she was really starting to miss being with Kol even if he was just up on the roof. She wanted to be with him as often as she possibly could.

"It was wonderful." She said as she undid her hair and stripped her shoes off. She was about to undo her dress but decided to keep it on.

Caroline smirked at her. "So basically him pinning you to the wall and making you moan was 'wonderful'?" She asked.

Elena had a bit of pink on her cheeks and she nodded.

"Oh he must be in cold showers now." Bonnie teased.

"I hope so." Elena got out with a slight breathless purring voice. "I really hope that he's in the coldest shower of his life and I'll make sure that he'll need another one tonight."

"What's tonight?" Caroline asked. Elena smiled.

"I thought that tonight there was going to be a party here?" Did she get the dates wrong for the masquerade that Marcel wanted to put on?

Caroline groaned. "Oh-that party." She nodded. "All the Originals plus Jeremy, Davina, Stefan and Bonnie are invited."

"I don't have anything to wear to a masquerade!" Bonnie exclaimed. It took four hours of Kol following them around the Quarters and a small fortune before that problem was solved. Kol and Bonnie had returned to the mansion to get ready. Kol slipped into his tux and joined his brothers downstairs. Stefan joined them a few minutes later.

"Rebekah's nervous," he confided. She appeared a moment later in a black sleeveless silk gown. It had a narrow silver belt at the waist and then the skirt was very full and alternated in large stripes of sheer black chiffon and solid black silk. Her mask was black feathers in a butterfly shape with diamonds around the eye holes which made her eyes look even more stunning.

"Sweetheart you look beautiful," Stefan reassured her when she entered.

A couple of minutes later they had walked into the hallway and finally Bonnie descended the stairs. Kol nearly lost it. She had on a beautiful white gown. It was one shouldered and showcased her curves until her waist and the skirt was full and composed of delicate vertical ruffles. Her mask was small and delicate and composed completely of diamonds. Elijah smiled at her and Kol couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Down Kol," Klaus teased under his breath.

"Darling you are breath-taking," Kol said and he pulled her into his arms for a deep kiss. "Please remember you're mine."

"Always," Bonnie smiled gently.

"Forever," Kol whispered back and it shocked her. Did he realize what he had implied?

As they walked out the front Bonnie gasped because there was a vintage Rolls Royce waiting to take them to the party. Kol helped her settle inside and then held her close as Stefan held Rebekah. As they reached the compound the men helped the women out and walked possessively with them in through the archway.

The second Elijah caught sight of Elena-he nearly lost it. Her dress was strapless and reminded him of something the Greek Goddesses would wear but in a soft powdery blue color and her hair was done in curls. Her mask was the same color blue but on the sides of it were roses done in white.

Elijah had a feeling that he would fall more in love with her that he thought would be impossible. He let out a territorial growl as he saw some young vampire boy take her hand.

There was no way that little boy was going to have her. His strides were quick and powerful as he made sure to stand behind her.

"I believe that you owe me a dance." He practically growled in her ear. His eyes were as black as night as he watched her shiver. Pulling her into his arms, he began to dance with her.

"That was almost bordering on rude," Elena said almost under her breath.

"Frankly Elena I don't give a damn," Elijah said as he spun them around. "Either there's something between us or there isn't Elena. I will not be toyed with." Meanwhile Kol and Bonnie were dancing tenderly nearby.

"Kol please don't leave me alone tonight. This is a sea of vampires..." Bonnie worried.

"Nothing could get me away from you tonight my little witch," Kol said before his lips descended on hers.

Marcel smirked at Rebekah as he twirled her around. His black suit blended perfectly into the decor and she had to roll her eyes at his dramatics.

"I hear that you're on your way to motherhood." He teased. "I remember a time that you told me that you couldn't see yourself in that position but now..." his smirk widened. "I'm just gonna say it-congrats."

"Thank you." Her voice was slightly colder as she saw his eyes move from her to the blonde dressed in a red dress that was made to mimic Cinderella's blue one and her mask was the same as Elena's except in blood red. "What is so special about her?" Her voice was still cold but there was a whiny twinge to it.

"You mean-why everyone chooses her over you?" He asked and at her nod, he smirked at her again.

"She's full of life and you're not." He wasn't going to beat around the bush when it came to Rebekah. "You lost your humanity a long time ago-don't deny it-but Caroline still has hers, even with all the horror in the world, she still has it."

Klaus twirled Caroline around and she ignored whatever she felt for him. He knew that he had his work cut out for him but this was just insane.

Elijah had Elena pressed up quite close to him and she glared at him.

"I will not be toyed with either Mikaelson." She hissed. He growled and flashed her away, back to her room and pinned her to the wall, their lips working in earnest while their fingers were undoing what the other had on. Her eyes shut once his lips moved from hers and down her neck, his hips pressing into hers, making her moan his name.

Elijah's bowtie and jacket were off and Elena's gown was on the floor. His mouth was hot and heavy on hers. Their hands were all over each other. As his finger slipped inside her she gasped and it broke through Elijah's fog. This was Elena...she deserved to be made love to; to be cherished. It should not be rushed in the heat of the moment. He pulled back from her a moment and ran a hand through his hair. He could see the disappointment flood her eyes and knew what she was thinking.

"No, Elena," he said tenderly as he cupped her cheek. "I just don't want to rush this with you. You're too important for that. You mean too much." He ran his thumb over her bottom lip. Then his lips reclaimed her and he tenderly scooped her into his arms and settled her onto the bed. He placed tender, reverent kisses on her body and as his lips took one rose-hued nipple into his mouth his fingers slipped into her again.

The look on her face gripped his heart. His lips captured hers again and his tongue mimicked what his fingers were doing as her body wound tighter and tighter.

"Elijah...Elijah I'm going to..."

"I know Lovely just let it go. I've got you," he said tenderly. A moment later he smiled as she came for him. In a flash he removed the last of his clothing and smiled at her apprehension as he approached her. He entered her carefully and took his time waiting for her to start the pace. As the pleasure drove them both on Elijah held her tenderly. Never had it felt like this in all of his thousand plus years on this earth.

"Elijah, Elijah!" She cried out his name as her climax slammed into her. As his climaxed slammed into him he bit her and they rode out the storm together. As they came back down to earth he withdrew from her both places and rolled onto his back curling her against him. He hoped with everything he had in him that she would not regret this.

"Where's Elijah?" Klaus asked Kol as he and Caroline danced close to Kol and Bonnie.

"Either having the best moment or the worst moment of his life," Kol sighed, "he left with Elena - in a hurry."

"She fell for him again." Caroline murmured as she caught Bonnie's eye. They both knew that it would happen sooner rather than later. "It's the best moment of their lives."

"How would you know?" Klaus said in a near demanding voice. She raised an eyebrow.

"Because Elena Sommers is my sister." Her voice was nearly haughty sounding. "Do you have a problem with that you Hybrid ass?"

"No I have a problem with you ignoring your feelings for me," Klaus said boldly. "You can deny them all you want to Caroline; we've been down that road before. I made a mistake, a horrible one in the grief over my brother. I am apologizing but your refusal to acknowledge any feelings for me just tells me that deep down you still care for me Caroline and I am here to tell you that I love you Caroline. I'm in love with you and even if I never have New Orleans again I don't give a crap but I want you Caroline."

Kol missed a step and Bonnie fell into him.

"I'm sorry," he apologized in obvious shock. He quickly twirled Bonnie away from Klaus and Caroline. He hoped this didn't turn into an incident.

Meanwhile Rebekah was dancing ever-so-slowly with Stefan her head laid on his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" he asked tenderly. She offered him a small smile.

"I think I may be getting used to it."

"We're going to do this - together," Stefan vowed.

"Do you think I've lost my humanity?" she worried.

"I still see glimpses Bekah but I think you could work on it," Stefan said honestly. "The flame

hasn't gone out entirely but I think it's flickered a little."

"How can you believe that the flame hasn't gone when he says that it's not there anymore?" Rebekah asked Stefan.

"He doesn't know you the way I do." He told her with a twirl.

"I really wish I could believe you Klaus Mikaelson," Caroline harrumphed. "But I can't. I don't ever think that I'll ever believe a word that you say to me ever again." Pulling from his arms, she found herself in Marcel's and he twirled her around.

"Spoke to Klaus?" He asked in amusement. She smiled at him playfully.

Bonnie and Kol smiled as they kissed once more.

Klaus sauntered over to the bar and ordered a glass of the best scotch. How dare she throw his feelings back into his face? After he had apologized to her nonetheless! He downed the first glass and ordered another. He nursed the second one as he watched her laughing and dancing in Marcel's arms. She came alive in his arms - almost the way she used to in his.

"Believe me when I tell you that I am beyond happy for Elijah and Elena but I don't necessarily believe this was the best time for them to do that," Kol whispered to Bonnie. "Klaus and Caroline look like they might go up in flames and I don't mean the same way that Elijah and Elena did. I don't want to be responsible for that. If there's trouble Elena will blame Elijah and I."

"I'm right here with you," Bonnie smiled tenderly to him.

"You're so beautiful tonight darling and I love you."

"Say it again," Bonnie pleaded.

"I love you Bonnie Bennett. I'm in love with you."

"I love you Kol, always."

Elena was curled into Elijah's arms, her chin on his chest and she was looking up at him as he looked down at her.

"Are we going to keep this secret or should we tell everyone?" she asked him and he leaned down to kiss her again.

"We'll tell everyone." She smiled and pushed her body further into his as his fingers trailed up and down her spine.

This was his version of heaven and with that thought in mind, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

"Should we be going?" Rebekah asked as her feet were getting sore. Stefan looked around and caught Kol's eye.

"I believe we should and don't worry about Elijah-he's staying here with Elena." Rebekah looked green until the host of the party appeared beside them.

"Leaving so soon?" He asked and at Rebekah's glare, he rolled his eyes but couldn't say anything else as Kol appeared with a very drunk Klaus and Bonnie.

"Yes and I must tell you not to be surprised when you see Elijah and Elena tomorrow at any time." He gave him a cheeky grin and left with the others.

Marcel let out a low groan.

The smell of the alcohol on Klaus' breath was Rebekah's undoing and she didn't even make it in the front door before she was ill right there on the driveway. Stefan held her hair out of the way while Kol rubbed her back.

"When she's finished bring her in and get her on her bed," Bonnie said gently. As soon as Rebekah stopped being ill Stefan swept her up into his arms and carefully carried her at a human pace upstairs so as to not upset her further. When Kol and Stefan got her upstairs and onto the bed Bonnie was waiting with a couple of cold cloths and a trashcan. Kol realized she was pretty good at this when Rebekah's color began to return.

"Kol there's some Ginger Ale in the refrigerator could you please bring a glass?" Bonnie asked. As soon as he had gone Bonnie closed the door.

"Okay let's get you in your pajamas," she smiled at Rebekah.

"I am so embarrassed," Rebekah groaned.

"Don't be, you're pregnant. I totally understand." Stefan tenderly helped her carefully undress while Bonnie brought her night things. By the time Kol came back with the ginger ale Rebekah was settled in bed propped up against pillows in her pajamas.

"Thank you Kol," she smiled softly as he handed her the glass. Kol beamed at Bonnie feeling really accomplished. They left the bedroom and returned to his suite.

"See Kol, you can do this in Elijah's absence. I'm so proud of you," Bonnie raised up and kissed him deeply.

He nodded but was still uneasy about it. "Do you think that Elijah's coming home tomorrow or will he just end up staying there?" He asked.

Bonnie shrugged. "I don't know." She whispered.

 **VVVV**


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18:**

The next morning Elena smiled before she even opened her eyes. She inhaled deeply taking him in and her finger idly traced over his chest. Finally her eyes opened and she found his brown eyes staring at her with a loving smile on his face.

"Good morning my lovely Elena. How are you feeling in the cold light of day?" He asked. He hoped she wouldn't regret last night. It had been one of the best of his life but sleep sometimes had a strange effect on feelings he had learned.

"Better now..." she murmured as she snuggled herself closer to him. Looking up at him, she smiled and gave him a lazy kiss. "How do you feel?" Then she whispered, "do you regret last night?"

"I didn't." He held her closer and she smiled widely.

"I didn't either." She answered with a kiss to his lips.

"I need to call Kol and check up though," Elijah said. "Mornings have been bad for Rebekah and Klaus might have been stupid last night."

Elena nodded and Elijah called Kol.

"Elijah," he could hear Kol's relief in his voice.

"How's it going?"

"Not bad actually. Bonnie brought Rebekah dry toast and tea with a glass of ginger ale before she even got out of bed this morning and she seems to be doing fine. Klaus is painting dark things this morning and Bonnie..." Kol paused and Elijah heard the warmth come back into his voice. "Bonnie is sound asleep on the couch in the study. I wouldn't have made it without her. Oh and Davina is cooking breakfast for Gilbert junior in our kitchen..."

Elijah looked at Elena who was smiling at him. He gave her a look that basically asked if she would come over for breakfast and at her nod, he smirked.

"I'll be there soon and I'm bringing the Lovely Elena." He said calmly, even as she got out of bed and walked into her giant bathroom, turning on the water. "I need to go." Hanging up, he followed her into the shower.

They got to the house later that morning. Elijah allowed her to go in first and she smiled at Jeremy who was eating French Toast with real maple syrup.

"Let me guess, busted for sneaking out?" Jeremy groaned.

"Morning," Kol smirked as he looked at Elijah and Elena.

"Shhh...Bekah's down for a nap," Bonnie said as she hugged Elena and then hugged Elijah. "Congrats" she whispered into his ear.

"I don't get busted," Elena told him as she took his breakfast.

Jeremy went to pout when another plate with the same French Toast and maple syrup on top. He grinned at Davina and he saw Elijah taking bites from her breakfast.

"Not at the table." Kol groaned and Jeremy seconded that.

"Oh let off," Bonnie chastised them, "I for one am thrilled although you did miss a really good party. Well right up to the point where Klaus professed his love for Caroline and then got drunk while Rebekah got tired and nauseous. All of which came to a head when we got home."

"Kol thank you for taking care of everything. It sounds like you did a great job," Elijah said.

"I don't want to make a habit of it," Kol grimaced.

"Maybe I should just start spending the night over here," Elena said as she licked some of the syrup off Elijah's lips.

"I'm eating here!" Take it to your room!" Jeremy shouted at her softly. He did not want to see his sister do that at all!

"You're more than welcome to stay if you wish," Elijah said with a soft smile to Elena. "Now if you'll excuse me a moment I'd like to get out of this tuxedo. I feel a little overdressed." He looked to Kol who nodded promising that he would take care of Elijah's guest and then Elijah flashed away.

"Well things are likely to get better around here," Kol smiled. "Bekah can likely whine as much as she wants now..."

"She hasn't been that bad honestly Kol," Bonnie chided. "It can't be easy going through that - especially when your body skips the introduction part and then has to play catch-up all at once. Hey, nobody made me a plate?"

Davina held a plate in her hand for the witch who smiled at her in thanks.

"Where's mine Davina?" Kol asked and she pointed to the griddle where his food was already cooking.

Klaus came down, very hungover and hungry to boot when he saw Elena just licking the syrup off her lips and he growled at her.

"What are you even doing here doppelgänger?" He growled angrily.

"I'm eating," she answered as she made sure there was no syrup on her lips. "What about you drunkie?"

"Niklaus I'd advise being on your best behavior towards Elena especially," Kol warned.

"You. Have. be. Kidding. Me," Klaus forced each word out as he took in the chirpy doppelgänger. So while he had been lamenting his situation with Caroline his brother had been getting lucky with...what is her name again? Klaus groaned and ran his hand through his hair.

"I thought vampires couldn't get drunk," Davina looked shocked.

"Oh they can - even an original. It just takes _a whole lot_ of alcohol," Kol said as he brought Klaus a glass of tomato juice and other additives. When Kol's food finished cooking he brought the place to Klaus and Davina looked shocked but started another batch for Kol.

"Niklaus you look dead," Elijah grinned as he returned looking pristine in a suit and surveyed his surroundings before carefully dropping a quick kiss on Elena's lips with a smile.

"I'm all for some more of that," Bonnie said.

"Here, here," Kol agreed and the others giggled except Klaus who was suffering as loudly as possible.

"Why must you torture me with such a sickening sight?" Klaus got out before downing the Bloody Mary.

He gagged at the taste. The sounds of Stefan coming down the stairs could be heard but by the time he reached the bottom step, with Rebekah in his arms, breakfast was over with and Elena was straddling Elijah's lap.

"I'm going to be sick again." Rebekah complained as she saw Elijah and Elena making out.

"Let them be, Bonnie said. "They're cute together!" She ended up awww-ing at him just holding her and pressing kisses to her throat.

"I thought you didn't have feelings for anyone not in your family?" Rebekah sneered.

Elena pulled a little bit away from Elijah to stare Rebekah right in the eye to speak.

"Elijah is a member of my family. He is mine."

"How are you doing this morning Rebekah?" Elijah asked.

"Not as bad," Rebekah said, "Kol's little witch brought me tea and toast in bed and that seems to have stopped the sickness. I'm actually hungry in fact."

"See, Bonnie told you it would work," Kol smiled indulgently. "Davina thank you for breakfast by the way. When I tell you that was the best French toast I've had you can take it as a serious compliment." Jeremy grinned and leaned over to kiss her passionately.

"This is the most adorable sight I've ever seen!" Elena squealed. Elijah let her out of his arms and she hugged the two with a happy smile on her face. "Do I have some stories to tell you!"

Jeremy paled at the thought of 'stories'.

"I'm begging you Elena! Don't tell!" Jeremy was pleading.

"You see Elijah our family's not really so dysfunctional after all. I'd say we could be downright normal," Kol grinned. Elijah gave him a look that told him he absolutely wasn't buying it.

"Ummm...I'm fine," Davina said politely. She just wanted to be with Jeremy without it being a big deal.

Rebekah meanwhile had devoured her French Toast and Elena was shocked to see Stefan was gently massaging her feet where they were settled in his lap.

Elena's phone rang and as she looked at the caller ID, she groaned. Kissing Elijah as deeply as she could once she untangled herself from her brother and his girlfriend, she bounced outside into the backyard to talk with Marcel.

"I was having a nice morning even with the blondes." She told him as she thought about Elijah and just how great it felt to be in his arms.

"Look-we got a major problem." Marcel wasn't going to beat around the bush. "There are reports of a hybrid with the last name Lockwood running around the city. Be on the lookout."

"Does Caroline know this?" she asked.

"She was the one who informed me after a witch talked to her about it and then slit her throat." He sighed. "He must have compelled the witch to work with him and then to kill herself in front of Caroline for leaving him."

Elena wanted to ring Tyler's neck now. She felt hands on her waist and as she looked up, she smiled at Elijah who was worried.

"I'll track him and bring him to the Garden-if he listens to me but if he doesn't and I don't return home for a few days, make sure that everyone knows why." Hanging up, she turned and kissed him. "I have to go hybrid hunting. Wanna join?"

"Of course Lovely Elena." He grinned and pulled her closer.

"Hey where are you two off to?" Kol asked as he heard the tail-end of the conversation. "Could you use my help?"

"Do you want to hunt Tyler Lockwood and throw him in the Garden?" Elena asked as she fixed her clothes-a pair of jeans and a halter top.

Kol nodded with a smile. Turning to Bonnie who had followed him out there to see what was going on.

"Me, Elena and Elijah are going hybrid hunting." He told her. "I need you to stay here and watch out for most of those inside-including Rebekah."

She knew better than to argue with him when he was determined to go after someone who wronged his family.

"Kol?" she stopped him at the door and a moment later she was in his arms and she kissed him deeply with everything she had in her. He held her in his arms like she was his whole world and the moment was so beautiful that Elijah and Elena couldn't help but watch. "Come back to me...I need you."

"I love you," Kol said pressing his forehead to hers, fully aware that they had an audience.

"I love you Kol," Bonnie said. "You guys keep him and yourselves safe. You're all important to me." She hugged Elena tightly and watched them leave, realizing reluctantly that she was responsible trying to keep Klaus and Rebekah in order. Elijah and Kol had better hurry.

The three ended up in the Bayou where some of the sightings had been. She was dressed again in her hunting clothes-a black halter top, black jeans and black boots paired with a black trench coat.

Elijah and Kol were dressed in the same as her except that Elijah had on a short sleeve shirt and Kol had on a black long sleeve shirt.

While Elijah had a crossbow in his arms and a quiver of aluminum arrows inside, strapped to his back, Kol had a dagger and Elena had an old fashioned bow and arrows that were doused in both vervain and wolfsbane.

Elena turned her head to the sound of twigs snapping.

The arrow in her bow was leveled at Tyler's hybrid face.

"Mr. Lockwood," Elijah said and as Tyler tried to flash to avoid him Kol flanked him from behind. Desperate Tyler reached for his blade.

"I wouldn't if I were you," Kol advised. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm trying to make Caroline see sense." He hissed. Glaring at Kol, he snarled. "You're dead."

"Not really." Kol smirked and stabbed him in the gut before snapping his neck. Slinging the unconscious hybrid over his shoulders, they heard the growls of werewolves and Elena paled.

"Crescent territory." She spat. "Damn it!" She tried flashing away but a familiar wolf-Hayley-bit down hard on Elena's forearm and infected her with the wolf venom.

Elijah didn't waste any time and shot Hayley in the heart. Grabbing Elena, he flashed her away and back to the house while Kol took his prize to the Garden for torture.

"Elijah," Bonnie smiled as she saw them come out of the vehicle but her face fell when she realized that Elijah was carrying Elena and Kol wasn't with them.

"What happened Elijah?" she worried. "Where's Kol?"

"Off sending Tyler to the Garden," he snarled angrily. "Hayley's dead but she bit Elena."

Bonnie's heart nearly stopped when she heard that Elena was bitten.

"Get her inside and lay her down on the couch." She ordered and Elijah did what she said. "Now we just need to get Klaus to give up his blood for Elena."

Elijah's eyes darken and had made a motion for her to follow him.

As soon as they saw Klaus, Elijah punched him so hard that the hybrid began bleeding from his nose.

Bonnie used her magic to collect the blood into a vial that she had on hand. Putting the blood inside it, she gave it to Elijah who went to where Elena lay on the couch.

Gently pouring the blood into her mouth, he begged that it was enough to save her.

"I can't lose you Elena." He whispered to her.

"What the hell was that?" Klaus growled as he joined them. "Oh, encountered some wolves did you? Whatever happened to asking nicely?"

"She's Elena not Caroline and you famously don't care whether she lives or dies," Bonnie glared at Klaus.

"Call me in a benevolent mood," Klaus said with a quick grin as he offered his wrist to Elena. She latched on eagerly and Klaus smiled as the sensations flooded his body. Elijah glared at his brother knowing that he was saving Elena's life but at the same time it was still blood-sharing. As soon as she began to feel better Elena thrust his wrist away and glared at Klaus.

"I should say thanks but I know why you're doing this." She glared at him with such anger that he smirked. "You're just trying to win some brownie points with Caroline by saving her sister."

"Her sister?" Klaus was amused at her look.

"Elena Sommers. My sister's Caroline Sommers." She saw the look on his face. "Any questions?"

"Why Sommers?" Rebekah asked but Bonnie winced.

"Jenna."

"Elena do you feel alright?" Bonnie beat Elijah to asking. She was so worried in fact that veins began to appear under her eyes which were darkening.

Elena nodded and quirked an eyebrow at her. "Did you forget to undo the spell?" The second Bonnie realized that, she blushed and quickly undid the spell. "I'm doing better but I'd rather be alone right now with Elijah..." said Original didn't need anymore prompting and he scooped her up in his arms and took her into his room where he laid her down. She smiled and kissed him.

"You won't lose me again unless you believe in what someone says that isn't true." She purred in his ear.

"I won't make the same mistake twice. I give you my word." He grinned and sealed the deal with a kiss, pressing himself into her and she moaned his name out.

 **VVVV**


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19:**

As soon as Kol entered the house, he was greeted by Klaus, Bonnie, Jeremy, Davina, Stefan and Rebekah who were waiting for him to tell them about how hunting was.

"He's in custody and is being tortured by Marcel at the moment." Hearing his brother and Elena upstairs, he would be beet red as he knew what they were doing and it involved little sleeping and more blood sharing that he thought possible. "How long?"

"We just passed the five hour mark." Klaus seemed to be between anger and satisfaction.

"Kol I'm so glad you're back safe," Bonnie said. "When Elijah came back with Elena I was worried..." She held onto Kol and they were interrupted by a groan from Elijah's room. "He never has the right to criticize us again."

"You're right." Kol shook his head and took her hand. "Why don't we go to Cafe Du Monde? You'll love the food there."

"We'll come too!" Jeremy said as he and Davina nearly ran out of the house. Klaus left to go to the Compound to talk with Marcel about Caroline and Tyler's punishment while Rebekah and Stefan went with Davina and Jeremy.

Kol closed the door and walked over to the car where the four were waiting.

Klaus went over to the courtyard where he found Caroline sitting at a table, drinking a cup of coffee and eating a plate of French Toast when she looked up at him.

"Did you want something Mikaelson?" She asked in a frosty tone. He shook his head and glared at her. She thought she was good at being cold, he was going to prove her wrong.

"Not one thing from you Sommers. I'm here to see your keeper." She glared and threw the rest of her coffee in his face.

"Too bad he doesn't want to see you at the moment." Standing up, she left him staring at her with coffee dripping off him.

That was a first for him.

"These taste SO good right now," Rebekah moaned softly as she enjoyed the beignets.

Jeremy took some powered sugar and smeared on Davina's forehead. Bonnie smiled and leaned in to kiss Kol.

"You two are so cute together," Bonnie giggled, "I'm sure Elena is going to love this but don't let her dissuade you. Don't ever let anyone dissuade you from love."

Jeremy snorted. "She was the one who said to make sure I don't screw this up otherwise she'll make me regret it."

Bonnie laughed. "That's another thing-don't screw it up. Look how long it's going to take Klaus to win Caroline again."

Everyone laughed at that.

"It's going to take him quite some time I imagine," Kol said. "Klaus does not grasp apologies like Elijah does."

"I think he's doing just fine," Davina giggled before she dusted Jeremy with powdered sugar.

Bonnie leaned in and kissed Kol before whispering in his ear. "I'm going to need some more of your blood tonight."

"I'll make sure that you feed on me tonight in our room." He whispered. Smiling at her, he blew some powdered sugar on her and she squealed as she dusted her top off.

"I'll get you back for that!" She got out while giggling.

Meanwhile Elena was laid against Elijah and trailing little kisses on his chest.

"I love you Elijah Mikaelson. I've loved you since I pulled that dagger out of your chest on the basement floor of The Salvatore house. I know I had a poor way of showing it but I didn't know what I was doing..."

He pulled her flush against him and kissed the top of her head.

"I love you more Elena. Since meeting you in that abandoned house I've loved you but I couldn't allow myself to feel for another but you found a way to make me fall." He sighed. "Everything that I did that hurt you, it broke me and I wanted blood. I wanted to hurt you the way you hurt Kol until I realized that he was alive this whole time and he was protecting those that he cares about..." She leaned up and kissed him. "How can you love a monster like me?" he asked. It was the question that plagued him.

"We're all monsters Elijah-it's just that some of us don't want to admit it." She smiled. "We're both monsters-I mean it-we both have killed for our family and have betrayed those who crossed us."

"You're beautiful Elena. I could never imagine you as a monster," Elijah said tenderly.

"I could never imagine you as one either," Elena said. "Now what are we going to do about Kol and Bonnie?"

"Let them be," he murmured. "They are already together so let them be." He was quite content with where they were but she moved to straddle him. Smirking, she pecked his lips and flashed from the bed and got dressed, he followed her moves but as soon as she got to the door, he grabbed her and scraped his fangs-which had elongate the second her scent filled his nose-lightly against her throat and she moaned, enjoying the danger of it.

"You're mine." His voice was low and possessive in her ear.

"No...I was thinking we should encourage her to join us," Elena smiled. "Why play vampire when you can be one? Besides Kol would be devastated if something happened to her. I think he's really in love with her and not the short-term kind either." She kissed him and she teased his fangs with her tongue before she withdrew. "So what is next on our agenda?"

"The bed again," he teased with a salacious look. "Maybe even the shower or the couch..." she playfully slapped his arm. "Another date tonight and let's see where that takes us." Kissing her deeply, he smiled.

"Where are we going for this date tonight?" she asked while she trailed her fingers up his chest.

"Mmm...how do you feel about French food? Antoines has two Michelin stars. The food is really fantastic and the atmosphere is nice," Elijah offered. "Or we can go somewhere else if you'd prefer. I just want the pleasure of your company."

"That does sound wonderful." She purred out and he grinned, sweeping her up in his arms.

Later that night he and Kol waited outside the compound. Kol had come with Bonnie so she could visit Elena and Caroline.

"Feel like betting on when Klaus finally makes any headway with Caroline?" Kol grinned. He was just thankful that Elijah and Elena were coming together although after this morning he wasn't sure how any two people could get more together.

"You want to bet on our brother's love life?" Elijah questioned him. At Kol's nod, Elijah stuck out his hand. "Five hundred in a year for when she will willingly talk to him without insult."

"Nah, I'm saying she holds out six months before listening to BonBon and Elena gets to her," Kol grinned.

"You're on," Elijah agreed.

A couple minutes later Bonnie came prancing down the stairs in a black and white diagonal striped handkerchief hem sundress. Kol couldn't stop staring.

"New dress darling?" He asked and Bonnie nodded. "Well it will look fantastic on you at Antoine's. Can't let Elijah and Elena have all the fun." Kol led her to the passenger side of his Ferrari 458 Italia and grinned at Elijah as he hurried around the car. This evening should be interesting.

When they pulled up to the Compound, they saw Elena in a strapless red dress and her hair was done in the same halo curls that Caroline seemed to love.

Elijah had to gulp and fix the collar of his shirt.

"Gorgeous," Elijah managed to get out before he opened the passenger side door for her.

Kol smirked at this turn of events-it really was going to be interesting tonight.

The two couples arrived at Antoine's and were seated in the courtyard with the clear lights strung overhead and the violinist serenading the patrons. After consulting the menu both brothers ordered in flawless French.

"That is seriously hot," Bonnie trembled as she heard Kol speak the Romance language flawlessly.

"Show off!" Elena teased Elijah at their table.

"One day I'll take you there." He promised her in a purring voice that made her tremble with desire.

"Promise?" Her voice was breathless and he nodded with a delicious smirk on his face.

"I'd really like that. I didn't think you were the traveling type," Bonnie said.

"I love Europe," Kol replied just as their caviar appetizer arrived.

Bonnie and Kol were smiling at Elena and Elijah who were flirting with each other.

"I was thinking..." Bonnie began. "Do you think me being a vampire is a good idea?"

He thought about it and nodded.

"I think it'll be a worthwhile experience and with me as your sire, it'll be magical."

"I think I want to do it...before I'm older than you; physically speaking that is," Bonnie said.

Elijah and Elena couldn't help but tune into Kol and Bonnie's conversation after they heard the new topic.

"Wow," Elijah marveled, "that's a long way for someone who started off hating us."

Elena nodded. "True." Her eyes sparkle in the light. She smiled at Bonnie. "So you wanna be a real vampire?"

"Yeah I do...my family will probably flip out but my two best friends are vampires and I'm," she blushed brightly, "in love with an original. I don't want to be the one left behind. That's kind of why I've been doing the spell. I will miss my magic but I would miss Kol more." That statement shocked both brothers. She had truly fallen deeply and irrevocably in love with Kol.

Elena couldn't keep the smile off her face when she heard that. It was wonderful to hear her proclaim her love for the Original playboy Mikaelson but as she saw a slightly deflated look in her friend's eye, she had to ask.

"Is there a spell that can make you both-a vampire witch hybrid?"

Bonnie blinked and shrugged. "I haven't looked but it's an idea though."

"There is," Kol confided and Elijah looked surprised. "I've had it in my arsenal for a long time. It's not something I plan on disclosing to Niklaus, brother and the reasons should be more than obvious. I trust that you will agree with me," Kol dropped that little bomb of information.

Elijah knew what his brother meant and nodded. If Niklaus knew that particular spell then it would cause trouble and that was the last thing that they needed.

"Of course brother." Elijah easily replied. "I understand-if Niklaus knew about it then the world would be on fire." Seeing the surprised looks from both girls he chuckled. 'Figuratively speaking."

Elena had to hold in the smile. "Of course. We wouldn't want New Orleans to burn down again, now do we?"

"I think it's practically sacrilege to say that here and Chicago," Bonnie grinned. By now they had moved to a table for four and officially declared it a double-date.

"Well Chicago can thank Mrs. O'Leary's cow and New Orleans can unofficially thank Niklaus and my father. Rebekah and I were enjoying sharing the opera house together and that simply didn't sit with him," Elijah frowned. The waiter was surprised to find they had moved tables when he began to bring out their main course. Both Elijah and Kol had order Ratatouille, Elena had ordered Les Fruits de Mer and Bonnie had ordered Beef bourgeon.

"Mrs. O'Leary's cow?" Elena choked on her bite of food. "Who's Mrs. O'Leary?" She managed to ask without choking.

"Klaus and Mikael ruined New Orleans because you took Rebekah to the Opera House?" Bonnie asked. Kol seemed intrigued about the bit about New Orleans and Chicago.

"Did all of this happen while I was daggered?" He asked casually. At his brother's nod, he chuckled. "Here I thought I was the pyromaniac in the family-it looks like Klaus and Mikael have a lot more in common besides their love for blondes."

Elijah - who loved to play historian - smiled and began to explain, "Mrs. O' Leary lived in Chicago in October on the eighth of 1871. In the back of her charming home like many people of the time she had a small barn. One night her cow kicked over the lantern she had milked by and set the straw ablaze. Due to a lack of stringent building codes back then the homes were far too close together and they went up like wildfire. The fire departments tried in vain to put it out but by morning it had reduced much of the great city of Chicago to ashes. The only building that survived was the stone-constructed water tower."

"As for the glorious city of New Orleans," Elijah lowered his voice to barely a whisper. Bonnie had to work to hear him. "New Orleans had a real Opera house. The kind that was rarely seen out of Europe and England. Rebekah and I had been thoroughly enjoying ourselves and attending often because I felt it important for her to have the proper exposure. Niklaus preferred some of the city's _other_ entertainments. In 1919 we had rather a large row about whether or not he could seat his latest conquest in the family's box to watch whatever was showing that December. I remember because Rebekah wore a most becoming red gown with white fur-trimmed cape. Anyhow, I forbid it and he took his date to the restaurant in the back of the opera house. He got rather drunk and suddenly decided to burn the whole thing down. As it happens Mikael also found us that night. Rebekah grabbed our essentials while Niklaus and I kept him occupied. There was a lot of fire and chaos. As we fled the smoke could be seen for miles and miles."

Elena took another bite of her delicious dinner before taking a bite of Elijah's. He looked at her amused but she silenced whatever he was going to say with a kiss and he didn't mind.

"God you two are nauseating." Kol complained playfully. "I mean-good for you two to be together and all-but I don't want to see it or even hear it."

"Please keep the PDA down to a minimum around us." Bonnie added before turning back to Kol. "This spell that can make me both-a vampire and a witch-what can it do for other vampires?"

"Depending on what they were-or had dormant in their systems-half whatever that was and half vampire." He looked at Elena and nodded. "While also playing dead, I discovered something about the Petrova family."

"Go on." Elena and Elijah said. "What was it that you found?"

"The Petrova family practiced Traveler magic and if we did that spell on you-you will be half vampire and half Traveler."

"What's a Traveler?" Bonnie asked. "Does everyone have something dormant in their systems? Why wasn't Elena's magic awoken by now?"

"A Traveler is another type of witch." Elijah explained. "They can practice but none of them can be around each other otherwise nature will find a way to separate them. They've been around as long as the cure that Kol put a stop to finding."

Kol nodded. "Travelers, when they do magic, speak in Czech and one of their more potent spells happens to be a Passenger spell."

"Passenger spell?" Elena asked. "The book that I found about the Petrova family never mentioned anything about being Travelers."

"The Passenger spell is made when a witch spirit decides to go into someone else and until they're activated, they lay dormant in the host body. Most of them are extinct now because none of them were fast enough to outrun a volcano." Kol explained. "Why they weren't in the book? Not many people like it known that they are Travelers or they think its devil magic."

"As to why it hasn't awoken in me?" Elena demanded.

"You never knew so therefore, if you haven't practiced it, none would be the wiser." Kol told her.

"What makes a Traveler witch different from say...me?" Bonnie asked. It was a good thing Elena wasn't a hybrid if it meant they would have to be separated. That was actually one of the perks with their dating several brothers. They could keep everything all in the family so to speak.

"The fact that Travelers hate nature magic-nothing at all." Kol answered with a sip of his wine. "Their magic isn't like nature magic at all as nature itself considers Travelers-when traveling together in a group-a plague which started their vendetta against nature witches."

"Okay...is there anything I should do while I'm human? Anything that's better?" Bonnie whispered. There were after all quite a few "firsts" she still hadn't crossed off her bucket list yet.

Elena thought for a moment before smirking. "Everything on your bucket list should be crossed off while you're here in New Orleans. Half of mine still needs to be crossed off."

"I could help you with that Lovely." Elijah told her as he squeezed her thigh as her foot ran up and down his leg.

"I'm sure that you can." Giving him a peck, she smiled.

"I can't think of a single thing that is better as a human," Kol grinned.

"How about s-e-x?" Bonnie whispered and Kol spewed water all over Elijah.

"You've _never_ had sex?"

"Please announce it to the whole world!" Bonnie was so completely red another shade would not have been possible.

Kol groaned and Elena glared at him. Turning to Bonnie, she smiled and nodded.

"Have it once while human and then have it again while as a vampire." She was nearly purring as Elijah was drawing patterns on her thigh with one hand while glaring at Kol as he mopped himself up with a napkin in the other. "It's so amazing!"

The second Elijah stopped, his glare at Kol was intensified.

"You owe me a new suit and with a silk shirt." Elijah got out stiffly to him.

"Sex as a human isn't worth it," Kol debated. Then he turned to Elijah, "I'll be happy to buy you a suit but I'm sure you can understand the circumstances."

Elijah turned from Kol to Bonnie, "much as I hate to admit it he is right. Once you make love as a vampire anything you may have done as a human pales in comparison," Elijah said gently, "particularly if you intend to give my brother the honor of being your first." They halted all conversation for a moment as the waiter brought bread pudding in bourbon sauce for dessert.  
Bonnie looked at Elena with wide eyes as if to say 'do you believe them' and Elena nodded.

"It's so worth it as a vampire." Elena was practically on cloud nine as she took a bite of the bread pudding in bourbon sauce. "It's so very worth it as a vampire and believe me, if you were to be with an Original...no other vampire can actually compare."

Elijah preened at what she said.

"Okay well," Bonnie said with resolution, "I guess that answers that. This is fantastic bread pudding by the way." She leaned over and kissed Kol.

"Hey if you can have PDA then so can we," Elena pointed out.

"I have to agree with her on that one," Bonnie looked at Kol, "unless you want me to stop kissing you?"

He looked at her like she just asked him to dance around in a dress.

"No stopping." He told her with wide eyes.

Just as Elena went to take a bite of the bread pudding again, Elijah managed to sneak that bite from her. He gave her a peck on the lips.

"Mmmm...still delicious." She said with a smile on her face.

Once they finished dinner the brothers conferred and then drove the girls to a warehouse. When they arrived inside it was a hip little night club with a Cuban flare.

Elijah pulled Elena onto the dance floor and as soon as she gave herself over to his lead they were doing the salsa.

"Wow," Bonnie gasped as she watched. Kol found them a table for four and ordered mojitos for all of them. When Elijah and Elena took a break from the dance floor they savored their mojitos.

Elena couldn't stop laughing at the stories the brothers were telling her and Bonnie about everything-including the time when they were younger and Finn had a pet rabbit named Fluffy who became dinner.

"He was so upset about it that he never wanted another pet again." Elijah finished.

Elena could understand. "I have two parakeets and if someone killed them, I would be just as devastated as Finn."

"You have parakeets?" Kol and Bonnie asked. She nodded.

"I do-one is blue and the other is green." She said smiling. "I named the blue one Aqua and the green one is named Petrov."

"Well who's going to watch them while you're at the mansion with Elijah tonight?" Kol teased.

Elena stuck her tongue out at him.

"What makes you think we're going back to the mansion with you two? We might go back to the Compound and make rabbits jealous." Her smile was as saucy as ever when talking about sex with Elijah.

Kol was gaping at her. She must have shed her modesty when she became a vampire.

Elijah wore a seductive smirk. "Elena I think you're scaring Bonnie," he teased. Bonnie was in fact very red again.

"Sorry BonBon I keep forgetting you're still a proud V-card carrier. When are you going to trade that in for the other kind of V-card anyhow?"

"I don't know. Kol and I haven't discussed it," Bonnie replied.

Kol just looked Elena in the eye and smirked.

"I have a feeling that I can show you a good time." He said.

Elijah growled at him and Elena shook her head.

"I won't do that whole triangle thing again as it was horrible." She ended up batting her eyes at him. "Do you think I'm Katherine?"

"No," he growled angrily.

"Then don't get me confused for her. She screws anyone who can protect her and at this moment I bet she's with a wolf."

"I don't share," Bonnie looked at Kol pointedly, "is that going to be an issue?"

"No love, no issue at all." He said and he gave a playful glare to Elena. "You just had to mention that, didn't you?"

She nodded and pulled Elijah back to the dance floor. He moved her into position and they began to dance in the style of Bachata.

"So what were you and Elijah betting on when I came down?" she asked. He smirked at her with a lusty gaze.

"How long it'll take for Nik and Care to get together." She raised an eyebrow at him. "Elijah said that it was five hundred just for them to talk without her insulting him and I think that he gave it a year."

"Knowing Caroline I give it three months," Bonnie said. "She likes to talk a big game but now that Elena has caved Klaus is going to start looking pretty good unless he just makes a total mess of it. After all Caroline is the one that used to always joke about the end plan." Bonnie laughed lightly as she thought about it. The end plan had been devised by Caroline to ensure that the three of them always stayed together and she argued that the best way was to be married to three brothers. Elena had told her that it was a feeble attempt to make her and Bonnie feel better about Caroline's interest in Klaus. The next song came on and Kol grinned.

"Come on it's the tango, now that's music to dance by," Kol grinned and before Bonnie could object they were on the dance floor. Bonnie had no idea how to do the tango but suddenly as she looked deeply in Kol's eyes her body seemed to know the steps by heart. She had to admit it was an incredibly sensual dance. When they finally finished the other couples were dancing for the two pairs. Meanwhile Elena and Bonnie could not stop staring at Elijah and Kol.

"Wow," Bonnie finally managed as they returned to their table.

Elena had to nod her sentiments as she had her arms around her boyfriend's neck and was kissing him like her life depended on it.

"We should leave Bonnie and Kol alone for the rest of their date." Elijah murmured into her mouth and she whimpered in agreement.

"Have fun!" Kol said as he saw his brother scoop Elena up in his arms and flash her away. Turning back to Bonnie, he smirked. "It looks like it's just us."

She nodded.

 **VVVV**


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20:**

Caroline and Marcel were dancing to some jazz song when a hand tapped her shoulder. Turning, she saw Klaus was there and he smiled.

"I was hoping to dance with the lady, if you don't mind."

Marcel nodded and handed Caroline's hand over to Klaus. He moved farther back and watched as Klaus swayed with Caroline to the song.

"I hope you're happy love." He whispered. "I hope that you're entirely happy."

Caroline frowned at him a moment and it took her too long to answer. He watched as her chin came up defiantly.

"As a matter of fact I am. What are you doing here tonight?" she asked in a haughty tone. As he twirled her away and back to him he smiled as she gave a little gasp as she came back into his arms.

"Dancing with you but now I must take my leave." He grinned and twirled her back into Marcel's arms. His eyes met Marcel's and his voice held a warning. "Protect her or you will never live to see another day."

He left but he made a stop into Rousseau's where he sat down and called the bartender for a drink. Cami sighed. Another Original though it's been days since she had seen Elijah and a part of her hoped that he was okay.

"Let me guess...Bacardi 151?" she asked and at his nod, she made it for him. "So what troubles do you have and don't say 'Caroline' problems." She added as she set his drink in front of him.

He grinned. "You know me too well." He took a drink of it and placed the glass back on the table. "She's happy so maybe I should find someone else."

"Try apologizing to her for whatever you did." Cami sighed. "Listen, I may not be as lucky as most of you when it comes time to being in love with someone but don't forget that I lost someone as well." She rubbed her forehead. "I know that you feel betrayed that your brother faked his death and allowed two people to take the fall when it wasn't them but be thankful that he's still around and that he's helped you out."

"Maybe I'll take your advice." He took another drink and as soon as the glass hit the napkin, she refilled it for him.

"On the house." She told him as she made it for him again. "Tell me, where's your brother Elijah at? I haven't seen him in days." Her eyes narrowed at him. "You didn't dagger him now did you?"

He snorted. "He's with the doppelgänger-whatever her name is-and they're dating or something."

"He finally took the plunge into dating Elena? Good for him." Another snort from Klaus at what she said.

"I have a feeling that they're mostly just having sex." She shook her head.

"He loves her. He even told me so and that he was willing to leave here so that way, he didn't have to see her with someone else."

"Now there's an idea with merit," Klaus tipped his glass and arched a brow at the suggestion.

"Are you sure she's happy with this someone else? We girls have our pride too. We love to be pursued and we don't ever like to feel like you men thought it was easy to get us," Cami said. "Women are complicated."  
"You've got that right," Klaus growled.

"Well?" Cami demanded. "Is she happy with this other guy?"

"She says she is." Klaus deadpanned. "Are you saying that she might not be?"

Cami shrugged. "That's a possibility and she's just waiting for you to acknowledge that she's waiting for you or she is, in fact, happy with this someone."

"Okay so I asked her if she was happy and she said yes," Klaus growled.

"You asked her?" Cami gawked, "you outright asked her? Of course she was going to say yes! She could have just broken up with the sod and she would have said yes."

"Then what do you suggest I do?" Klaus said as he downed his fourth drink and ordered his fifth.

"Make her realize that you love her so much or even take her out to dinner or something!"

Finishing his fifth, he started on his sixth.

"What advice did you give Elijah and would you say that I need that same?"

"I told Elijah to apologize and ask to be friends. Do you owe her an apology?" Cami asked and Klaus instantly bristled before lowering his guard and letting his humanity show.

"I owe her a big apology. I blamed her in Kol's death. I blamed her for protecting Elena," Klaus said.

"Then maybe you should start with that - a little humble honesty can move mountains. Let me ask you this though; do you want her because another man is making her happy? or do you want her because just seeing her makes you smile and you would give her anything; do anything for her just so see that smile?"

"Yes," he said while slurring some of his words. "Just seeing her smile at anything I would give her the world, do anything that she begged me of."

Cami smiled. "Then find her and give her a heartfelt apology."

"Yes" Klaus grinned and he abandoned the drink, the barstool and then Rousseau's altogether. He would find Caroline and he would tell her how sorry he was. If nothing else she deserved that from him. He sauntered back towards the club where she had been earlier with Marcel.

He entered the club and saw them dancing and went over to them, again. Caroline was about to tell him off when she saw how he looked and made a motion for him to follow, which he did.

"Caroline," he began. "I'm...sorry, about everything that I've done when I thought Kol died. I know that I did and said things to and about you because of my anger but sweetheart, I want you to know just how sorry I am and if there is anything that I can do, tell me." Kissing her forehead, he whispered, "you can find me at the manor."

She wanted to tell him something but he was gone.

When Klaus returned to the manor Kol and Bonnie had just arrived.

"I wonder if Elena is staying over tonight?" Bonnie speculated. "Klaus are you alright?" She worried as she looked at him. She wanted nothing more than to be alone with Kol in his room but she was a little worried about Klaus as she looked at him.

"I'm fine." He grumbled. "I'm doing great. Just apologized to Caroline."

Bonnie was obviously shocked by this revelation, "that's great. What did she say?"

"I don't know," Klaus growled.

"You mean you hit and run with the apology?" Bonnie was surprised. "Don't worry Klaus. It wasn't for nothing..."

She walked upstairs with Kol. "I wish I had the money to get in on this bet. You boys would be paying me."

"If you had five hundred we would definitely let you in." Kol said with a smile on his face.

"I think you might win this bet."

She crawled onto the bed and cuddled against him. She was quite for a long while as he stroked her hair before she hesitantly asked, "you won't leave me will you? You would not turn your back on me?"

"Never." His voice was rough with emotion as he held her close to himself.

"I... I love you Kol." She admitted.

"Darling I'm not just turning you I'm making you mine," Kol said. He leaned down and kissed her tenderly.

"When did you want to do it?" Bonnie asked.

"I'm not sure you want to know love," Kol said gently. "Why don't you just keep taking my blood and know that I'll be with you."

"I know." She sighed and drank some more of his blood. Once she had enough, she fell asleep in his arms.

"Bonnie, I need you and Elena over here now..." Caroline worried. That was all it had taken for Bonnie and Elena to drop everything. The men were out and Elena decided they could borrow Elijah's BMW.

They were crossing Canal street headed towards Caroline's when out of nowhere a car ran the red light and careened into the drivers side striking Bonnie. The car spun wildly and Elena's head slammed against the window.

Elijah and Kol were exiting the bank when his phone got an alert. He frowned as he looked at it.

"My BMW has been in an accident on Canal street..."

"The girls Elijah," Kol figured it out faster. Both men took off running and when they arrived at the scene Kol thought he would have been sick if such a thing was possible. Elijah was white as a ghost. The car was beyond totaled. There was blood all over the glass.

Elijah went to the driver side and as soon as he pulled open the door, Elena's body slumped into his arms while Kol ripped the doors off the car itself and Bonnie fell in his arms.

"Elijah what are we going to do?" Kol worried.

"There's too many people," Elijah worried as he took in all of the onlookers. They waited until the paramedics arrived and then Elijah compelled them to drop them near the mansion. Elena was beginning to heal but still unconscious.

As soon as the girls were dropped off near the mansion, Kol rang Caroline to tell her the news.

"Elena and Bonnie were in a car crash." Kol could hear two distinct gasps from both Caroline and Marcel.

"We're going over to the mansion. Tell your family." Marcel growled out before hanging up the phone.

Elijah didn't seem to care that Marcel was going to be there, he was more worried about the girls.

Kol had Bonnie cradled in his arms trying to stop some of the blooding by getting his blood in her when she seized.

"Dammit! 'Lijah her heartbeat's wrong!" Kol worried as Bonnie's body began to jerk uncontrollably in his arms.

Meanwhile Elena's wounds began healing and Elijah breathed a sigh of relief as he knew she would soon come around. He was never more thankful that she was no longer human.

Hearing his brother's panic, he looked over and saw the witch begin convulsing before it stopped altogether.

"Will she be in transition?" Elijah asked as he held Elena in his arms.

"Yes," Kol said in half panic. "Do you think I would be this calm if I had just lost her? I didn't want it to be like this for her though. I didn't want her last moments to be fear or pain." Elijah smiled softly at the tears tracing down his brother's face.

"Look at it this way; she's yours forever now," Elijah said. The room was silent for a while until suddenly Elena came up fighting in Elijah's arms.

"Bonnie!" She cried out, "Bonnie!" Then she seemed to realize where she was. "Elijah...where are we? Where's Bonnie? Oh God please tell me she's okay? Tell me Elijah! Elijah tell me she's okay!"

"Sweetheart," Elijah said lightly. "Calm down. She's going to transition." Holding her closer to his body, he was slowly calming her down. "We're a ways away from the mansion."

Elena felt herself smiling in his arms before her smile turned into a frown.

"Will she complete it?" Elijah looked from her to Kol and hoped that Bonnie would complete the transition.

"She was rather promising about it the other night at the restaurant," Elijah reminded them both. "I imagine it will come as a surprise to her at first but I'm almost certain that her love for my brother will bring her around. Kol do you have a ring?"

"No...I hadn't quite gotten that far," Kol worried.

"Kol I am so sorry. I tried to protect her but the car struck her side and it was so fast...I'm so sorry Kol," Elena said gently.

"It wasn't your fault at all," Kol said to her. "You tried to save her."

Elena dug around in her pocket and pulled out her old Daylight Ring to give to Kol.

"For Bonnie." She explained and Kol nodded to her in gratitude.

"Hope she likes it." Kol murmured.

"Should you decide that you want it your Mikaelson ring is also available," Elijah mentioned.

"I am so sorry about your beautiful car," Elena apologized to Elijah.

"The car is replaceable, you and Bonnie are not. I'm just thankful you are okay," Elijah said.

Elena just stayed in his arms as he swept her up into them bridal style and kissed her deeply.

"If I had lost you," he whispered into her hair. "I would have lived in Rousseau's with just my memories of us."

She touched his cheek lovingly.

"I wouldn't have found peace over there without you." She whispered back to him.

When they finally made the mansion Caroline and Marcel were pacing in the sitting room while Klaus was waiting with a drink.

"Elena! Thank God!" Caroline said immediately hugging her when she saw the brunette irregardless of the fact that she was still in Elijah's arms. Then she saw Kol with Bonnie. "No...oh no..." Caroline worried. "Kol please tell me..."

"She has vintage Mikaelson in her Caroline," Kol cut her panic short as he settled on one of the couches with Bonnie still in his arms while Elijah settled at the other end with Elena. "I'm just afraid of how she will react when she comes awake...but that will probably not be for a long while yet."

"Oh that's good!" Caroline fretted over as she began to hover over Elena and Rebekah just rolled her eyes.

"More vampires, lovely." She got out angrily. "This day just got worse!"

Caroline wanted to strangle the blonde female Original but refrained.

"Just because you hate not having your brothers' attention doesn't mean 'act like a bitch'." Elena snapped out. She was tired of hearing Rebekah going over everything that's ever happened between her and other doppelgängers.

She sneered at the girl in Elijah's arms.

"I'm leaving." She said as she stalked up the stairs and slammed her bedroom door.

Stefan, who was down there, looked at Bonnie sadly.

"It might help if you all don't look at her like you're at her funeral," Elijah suggested gently. Everyone waited for another three hours before Bonnie finally jolted awake in Kol's arms. She blinked and turned to take in the room.

"How did we get here?" she asked. "We were going to see Caroline..."

"We had a car accident," Elena said trying her hardest to keep her tone even.

"In Elijah's car? I told you we should have gotten a taxi or something...well at least we didn't take Kol's. I LOVE the Italia! That must have been some accident. Could someone bring me some Tylenol? My head is killing me..."

"Bonnie..." Caroline whispered. "There's no easy way to tell you this but...sweetie, you're in transition."

Bonnie paled. "I died?"

Elena nodded and said, "I tried to save you."

"I...wow...that was unexpected," Bonnie said as a multitude of emotions crossed over her face. Kol held her and was trying his hardest not to push or let his emotions free on this matter. "I guess Tylenol's not going to do me any good then..."

"I'm starving..." Bonnie said as she slipped out of Kol's arms and headed for the kitchen.

"What is it with you three? You all want to eat and it never ends well," Stefan sighed remembering Elena getting ill all over him after Damon stupidly gave her a sandwich in transition.

"Eating is therapeutic," Elena replied.

"Somebody just open your wrist and this problem will solve itself," Caroline said and Klaus grinned.

"Don't you dare," Elijah growled.

"Oh please," Caroline waved a hand at him. "It's true." She added at his glare.

Elena opened her mouth to say something when she sensed Jeremy's presence and he was bleeding from a cut on his hand, while in the kitchen where Bonnie was.

She left Elijah's arms and found her way into the kitchen with Stefan and Elijah hot on her heels.

They arrived a little late as Bonnie had a firm grip on an already weak Jeremy. Angry from the pain of her fangs descending she was quickly bleeding him dry. She was wrapped around him in such a way that to remove her by force would break his neck.

Elijah looked to Elena and then slit her wrist before offering it to Jeremy, "you need to safeguard the situation Elena. I'm not sure even Kol will be able to talk her back from this." Jeremy's heart rhythm had already changed and Bonnie was still drinking. The glaze on her eyes told them the frenzy had taken over and she wasn't at all aware of what she was doing. Kol meanwhile was hurrying to get the entire incantation out to preserve her magic.

As soon as the words escaped Kol's lips, Bonnie let go of Jeremy and she cried at what happened.

She tried killing Jeremy because she doesn't have any control over her bloodlust. Tears flowed from her eyes and she escaped up to her room.

"You're her sire Kol." Caroline said as she looked at the Original. "Go see her."

Kol flashed upstairs and overheard Rebekah talking to Bonnie.

"Oh you poor thing," Rebekah sounded like she was condescending. "You didn't get what you wanted?" He could now hear the sneering bleed through. "Too damn bad. You're not that useful now are you." Rebekah walked away from Bonnie's door and he was seen only to realize that Rebekah snapped Bonnie's neck.

Kol had her up against a wall before she could blink. He was completely vamped out and mad as hell!

"You don't touch her Bekah!" He roared and that had the others running his direction. "Do you understand me? I love her Rebekah! She's as much my family as you are. You learn to love her or you leave her alone but you don't ever hurt her again!"

"Kol," Elijah's firm tone stopped him, "Kol look at what you're doing?" The anger receded from Kol's eyes and he realized that he had Rebekah over the stair railing and had he released her she would have plummeted to the ground floor. He quickly pulled her back and thrust her to Stefan.

"She broke Bonnie's neck," Kol growled, "as if she hasn't been through enough already today."

Rebekah glared at him and pushed herself out of Stefan's arms. She was angry and hurt that her brothers would pick those weak Mystic Falls girls and none of the ones she picked for them that are better for them.

"In going to talk with Hayley." She sniffed. "At least I trust her."

"I killed her." Elijah told her and Rebekah looked at him in horror.

"You're just like Nik! You ruined my life!" She flashed away from everyone.

"Please tell me that all of that was just her hormones." Elena pleaded. "I would understand but if she's always like that, well we picked a wrong person to carry the baby."

"It's hormones," Elijah and Stefan replied.

"Not to mention it's always been her and Kol thick as thieves. She feels like he chose Bonnie over her. She probably thinks I did the same thing," Elijah sighed.

"Kol tend to Bonnie and if you need help call me. She's going to be frantic when she comes to."

Kol carried Bonnie into their room while Klaus stalked down the hall to find Rebekah with Stefan beside him and everyone else healing and helping Jeremy with the attack.

"You sure you're okay?" Elena questioned for the tenth time.

"I'm good Lena." He said drowsily before falling asleep on the couch.

Elena sighed and tucked him in with a blanket that had been draped over the back of the couch.

"Caroline and I need to go back to the Compound." Marcel told her with a peck on her cheek. "Your birds will be fed and covered for the night."

"Play them some jazz music for an hour before they go to bed." Elena said smiling at them.

Caroline nodded and they left, leaving Elena and Elijah to watch over a sleeping Jeremy.

"That was close," Elena worried.

"She didn't know what she was doing Elena," Elijah reminded her gently.

"I know and I hope Kol can help her when she wakes up," Elena sighed. "Again I am SO sorry about your car."

"How about I buy two this time," Elijah smiled gently, "unless you'd rather a Ferrari 459 Italia like I imagine Kol will buy for Bonnie."

She laid her head on his chest.

"I would love a convertible but I like your BMW better." She ended up falling asleep in his arms and he took her upstairs to sleep in his bed.

 **VVVV**


	22. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21:**

Everyone else was already asleep by the time Bonnie's eyes fluttered open. She jumped awake but relaxed once she realized she was in Kol's arms.

"Darling you're going to be okay I promise," Kol vowed. "You're mine now Bonnie, always and forever."

"Please tell me Jeremy isn't dead," Bonnie worried.

"He's sleeping it off on the couch downstairs."

"Elena probably hates me," Bonnie groaned.

"No, she was very worried about you, everyone was. No one was blaming you - not even Jeremy who wouldn't have come in like that if he'd have known you just turned. Nothing about today is your fault Bonnie." He held her tenderly and gently pressed a kiss to her forehead where she was cradled in his arms.

"I love you Bonnie and I'm just so glad that you're still here and that you're mine. That's my blood in your veins darling."

She leaned over to kiss him. It was tender and loving.

"I'm hungry," Bonnie said gently. Wordlessly Kol took her hand and walked with her downstairs. He opened the tube on a blood bag for her and watched with a grin as she drank that one and then another. When she finished she walked into the living room to where Jeremy was asleep.

He knew that she wanted to tell him that she was sorry so she did.

"I'm so sorry for what I did to you Jeremy and I hope that you can one day forgive me."

She left and went back into their room.

"I promise I'm going to get you through this Bonnie; anything that you want to ask don't hesitate. I promise I'll take you seriously," Kol vowed.

"I'm okay Kol," Bonnie said gently. "Right now I think I'm okay and I really just want to go to sleep." She pillowed her head on his chest and he held her possessively while she slept. As soon as she was asleep he joined her but not before being utterly thankful that she had come through this awful day okay.

Kol began to stroke his hand through her hair, hoping that this calmed her down and smiled bitterly as he now had forever with her.

"I wanted you to be changed and be completely willing to be changed, feeling no pain but instead that is what you felt." He sighed. "I wish I was there to protect you."

The next morning Bonnie kissed Kol awake as she was already dressed for the day. He smiled at her and she smiled back urging him to hurry. Finally she couldn't wait any longer and she hurried down the hall and then vaulted over the second floor railing and landed in the entry hall. It felt fantastic!

"Good morning Bonnie," Elijah greeted with a smile.

"Good morning Elijah."

Kol came down the stairs a moment later to Elijah straightening his tie in the entry hall mirror.

"She jumped over the stairwell," Elijah supplied. Kol smirked and everyone seemed to arrive in the kitchen at about the same time. In deference to her condition Kol made sure that he had Rebekah's breakfast ready first a big plate of yellow grits. Elena and Bonnie were anxiously awaiting their platefuls as well.

"I love this stuff!" Bonnie exclaimed.

"Me too and especially with cheese," Elena agreed. Rebekah picked up her plate and walked into the formal dining room. She didn't object when Stefan followed her. That was when Bonnie's face clouded over.

"She killed me yesterday," Bonnie sighed. "She couldn't even just yell at me so she just..." unable to find the rest of the words to express her anxiety Bonnie returned to her meal. Meanwhile Elijah looked concerned and almost missed the bite that Elena was trying to offer him. He smiled as he took the offering from her fork and then kissed her.

"No one wants to see just how in love you are with my sister," Jeremy complained as he watched them, disturbed. "Please, for the love of God-go somewhere out of public and do whatever you want."

Elena smirked and kissed Elijah before getting up and kissing Jeremy on the cheek. "We might do that later tonight." She said as her eyes raked over Elijah.

"How about now instead?" He suggested and she smirked at him. He stood up and flashed her back upstairs.

"I have a feeling that this isn't normal at all." Jeremy groaned as he took a bite of Elena's discarded breakfast. "Pretty good."

"Vampires tend to enjoy the finer aspects of life a little more," Kol grinned, "besides I didn't hear you complaining as you enjoyed your hot little girlfriend. Why isn't Davina here this morning? She could have a good breakfast and then I'd loan you a guest bedroom so you could woo her properly."

"Kol Mikaelson!" Bonnie fussed between bites as she devoured her breakfast and then helped herself to seconds. "Besides he might think it's too dangerous for Davina to be here..."

"I'm sitting right here eating breakfast aren't I? If you want me to be afraid of the fact that you're a vampire now Bonnie then I'm afraid you'll have to try harder than you did yesterday," Jeremy said trying to teasingly reassure her that he was comfortable in her presence.

"Marcel needed Davina back at the Compound away from the witches." Jeremy told him. He ended up smiling at Bonnie. "If he's giving you any trouble...I can snap his neck." He offered helpfully.

"Thanks mate." Kol deadpanned. "Didn't know you loved me that much."

"You're my best friend." Jeremy told him.

"Honestly I'd like to see you try. Damon was 167 years turned by that point and he barely took Kol." Bonnie said proudly.

Jeremy shrugged. "Damon was also cocky and tended to rush into situations in which he could have-or should have-died in."

Kol and Klaus nodded. "The numerous times that vampire nearly died and for some strange bit of luck survives." Klaus grumbled.

"The same thing about Katherine." Bonnie added as she took a bite of her food.

At that, the table went silent. Apparently, the name of the five hundred year old vampire was still a sore subject.

"She had better hope she never crosses paths with me again," Elijah growled from where he was once more at the doorway to the kitchen. Everyone looked shocked at his announcement. Katherine had finally screwed up bad enough that even Elijah wanted her head. Once breakfast was finished Bonnie slipped outside in all the commotion and walked until she was out of view from the inside of the house. Then she decided to try vampire speed. Her first couple of attempts were humorous as she scared herself in the process.

Kol's head cocked up from where he was helping clean the kitchen. He looked around then.

"Where's Bonnie?"

"She said she was going back upstairs," Klaus said.

"There's no one upstairs," Elijah replied after a moment of listening.

"Maybe she's outside." Jeremy suggested as he looked to see a blur going in different directions. "Have you all even looked?"

Elijah shook his head and Kol went outside where Bonnie ended up accidentally tackling him.

"Enjoying your new speed?" he asked and she blushed.

"I was just wanting to see why everyone liked it so much." She admitted.

"It can be very useful and of course exhilarating," Kol said.

"It's kind of scary actually," Bonnie worried.

"That's because you're thinking like a human love," Kol said. "Now I want you to run away from me." She looked at him like he was a little crazy. When his eyes darkened and his expression became menacing she took off. All she had thought about was escape and suddenly she was speeding all over the yard effortlessly weaving around obstacles to elude him. She felt pretty proud of herself. About that time she ran directly into his arms and they skidded across the grass as he held her against him.

"Are you okay?" he worried.

"How did you get in front of me? You were right behind me?"

"A thousand years of practice darling. Not to mention there is a reason that my family considers me the most lethal," Kol said honestly.

"I remembered why a few minutes ago," Bonnie said. He rubbed the sides of her arms as they were sitting up now.

"I'm sorry if I scared you. It just seems fear is a good motivator for learning how to do that," he explained. "Now for the important lesson." He led Bonnie inside.

"Jeremy I'd like to ask a favor of you mate," Kol said sincerely, "I need to teach Bonnie control while feeding on a human." Bonnie paled immediately.

"You can do this BonBon," Jeremy grinned.

"Jeremy no!" Elena protested.

"Elena he'll be fine," Elijah said gently. "We're all right here."

"Elena I'm doing it," Jeremy said firmly. He looked to Bonnie and waggled his eyebrows. "I'm medium-rare by the way." Bonnie rolled her eyes at him.

"Okay Bonnie," Kol was directly behind her and his arm wrapped around her waist. "Do you hear his heartbeat? Can you find it amongst the others?" Bonnie nodded and he continued, "okay I need you to concentrate on the rhythm of the heartbeat...be careful though and don't let it drive you into a frenzy. Just concentrate on it and think of someone important. You need to personalize the face before you always. It's easy in this case but not always with strangers. Now you let your senses tell you where the right place is. You'll find the best feeding spot automatically." Bonnie stared at Jeremy for a moment and then carefully leaned in. She could feel the spot on his neck calling to her. She placed her lips against his neck gently for a moment and then she lifted them. A moment later her fangs broke his skin.

"That's it darling," Kol encouraged gently against her ear as he rubbed her back. "Now concentrate on that heartbeat and as soon as the rhythm changes then it's time to pull back." Kol tried not to concentrate on the fact that Jeremy's hand was stroking Bonnie's hair. Elena's nails were digging into Elijah's skin where she had the death-grip on his arm. Kol was listening to the heartbeat prepared to pull her off if he had to and at the same time hoping she would feel it on her own. He heard the change in rhythm and a moment later her head lifted from Jeremy's neck. Kol turned her around to face him and a smile lit his face. Heat surged through Kol at the sight of Bonnie's lips tinged with blood. Now he just couldn't wait for it to be his blood on her lips for real this time!

"That was beautiful darling," Kol smiled before he kissed her. Elijah had his arms wrapped around Elena.

"That, more or less, is how it's supposed to be," Elijah whispered gently to her, "teaching a new vampire is a powerful experience particularly if there are feelings involved. I am sorry that your experience wasn't what you deserved."

"I had Damon and he just took me to a rave of sorts." Elena said snorting. "I didn't get that kind of lesson and if it wasn't Damon teaching me at a rave, it was Stefan teaching me how to drink animal blood in the woods." She shivered at the thought of animal blood.

Elijah winced and held her close.

"Well I would offer my services but I'm quite sure that you have it under control already," Elijah whispered, "but if you ever do need help with anything sire related Elena I'm here for you. I may not be your sire but as an original there likely isn't anything I haven't seen."

"Thanks mate," Kol gave Jeremy a genuine smile, "that won't be forgotten." He opened his wrist and offered it to Jeremy.

"I should have done that," Bonnie said.

"Not this time," Kol said. No way could he stomach Jeremy drinking from Bonnie first. That was a pleasure he wanted for himself.

As Jeremy drank the liquid, he did feel himself get more and more energized. Pulling back, he wiped his mouth on the back of his hand and nearly gagged.

"Next time-just pour it into a cup or a bottle." Jeremy told him.

"Such a fuss," Kol rolled his eyes. "I have the new Grand Prix racing game if you want to borrow it."

"Thanks but I don't think Davina would approve," Jeremy said. "I've promised her a picnic this afternoon."

"Bring fruit," Kol suggested with a wicked grin.

"Thanks mate," Jeremy smiled.

"Officially corrupted," Elijah sighed with a smile. "You'd better like Davina because I think you're about to be stuck with her."

"Trust me Elijah," Jeremy said grinning. "I would rather be stuck with her over any other girl I could ever meet." He was still grinning as he left to go buy some fruits for the picnic date.

Bonnie looked at Kol with a cheeky grin and announced, "once you go witch you never go back."

"Well once you go original nothing else satisfies you," Elijah smirked.

"You've got that right," both Elena and Bonnie were quick to agree.

Klaus snickered at the two. "Really ladies?" You can hear the amusement lacing his voice.

"Being with Elijah is better than my previous relationships I ever had." Elena said with a shameless smile on her face.

"The same thing with Kol." Bonnie added.

"Now if only we can convince dear Caroline of that," Klaus grinned.

Rebekah settled on the couch after lunch but could not seem to get comfortable. She tucked a pillow against the small of her back where it ached but she still felt too confined like she was going to burst. She looked around and noticed she had the room to herself. She undid the button on her shorts and then heaved a sigh of relief as she could finally breathe. She had worn the same size effortlessly for a thousand years but she had to face the facts-she was getting a bit of a belly.

"Are you alright Bekah? Is there anything you need?" Stefan asked as he just appeared in the room.

"Some strawberry lemonade and a strawberry milkshake." She said as she rubbed her abdomen lovingly. "Baby wants strawberry lemonade and strawberry milkshake."

Stefan gave her a gentle smile. He was grateful that she seemed to be adapting to the whole pregnancy thing okay. He hurried to fulfill her wishes. Rebekah wondered if she was going to be able to get her pants buttoned ever again.

As Stefan went about making the lemonade and milkshake, Klaus strolled into the living room and sat beside his sister.

"How's the little one?" He asked conversationally.

"Great actually."

"It's making me pudgy already and please don't tease me about that. I've almost made it a whole day without the waterworks," Rebekah said. Klaus laid a hand on Rebekah's leg.

"You deserve this Rebekah and we're all here to help you. I promise I won't let anyone ruin this for you."

"One milkshake and I'm waiting on the lemonade to chill," Stefan smiled, "is there anything else I can get you?" It was easy to tell that he was excited at the prospect of being a father.

"A plate of stuffed shells in a pesto sauce and some Kit Kat bars." He had a look of surprise on his face at how slightly normal her request was.

"I thought that women who are pregnant wanted stranger food." Stefan got out.

Klaus nodded. "We're still in the early stages of the pregnancy. Just wait till she reaches the sixth month when the food requests become stranger and the late night food run."

"I'll be ready for it," Stefan smiled at Rebekah. He brought her the lemonade and started on her next request.

"Oh my goodness that smells so good and I can't believe I'm hungry again," Bonnie groaned as her nose led her to Stefan in the kitchen. "How is Rebekah doing?"

"Very hungry," he said as he mixed the sauce together. "I think it's okay for you to have some strawberry lemonade if you want it." He offered.

Kol was on Rebekah's other side and began to rub her belly.

"How's the new mommy to be?" He asked as he smiled at her.

"Happy." She told him smiling.

She looked at his hand on her belly, "don't start that already. According to your little witch I'm only like eleven weeks along. There's barely anything there...right?" She was becoming self-conscious.

"No sister." He told her. "You are not showing yet."

"I can't fit into any of my favorite clothes!" She said sadly.

"We'll buy you a brand new wardrobe." Klaus placated.

"Actually I kind of can't wait until I am showing," Rebekah smiled, "maybe that will make it real. Just wait until your little witch decides to make you a daddy." Rebekah prodded Kol.

Klaus had to hold in his laughter. The thought of his brother having children was absurd to him.

"I can't imagine Kol with children." He said snickering.

"Lunch time." Bonnie called.

Kol was completely blindsided by the fact that Klaus' words bothered him. Surely he didn't want children? That had been a dream long ago and he had let it go right?

The more he thought about being able to give Bonnie a child; about making a beautiful baby with her and watching her experience all the aspects of motherhood the more he realized one thing. Kol wanted to be a father and he wanted Bonnie to carry his child.

Bonnie saw Kol just stare at her and she had to prod him.

"You okay?" she asked and he smiled somewhat sadly at her.

"I'll be better in time." He whispered.

"Talk to me Kol," Bonnie whispered as she pulled him aside. "We don't keep secrets from each other remember?"

"Seeing Rebekah pregnant makes me remember that I wanted children before I turned." He admitted to her. "I never thought it would be possible but now...now I want that child-or children-to be with you."

Bonnie grinned largely and kissed him tenderly on the cheek. "I would love to have a baby with you Kol. I love you and whenever you're ready just say the word and it's done." She cuddled against him and reveled in her excitement at the thought that she might one day carry Kol's child.

He had the largest grin on his face and as he kissed her, he got out, "when we're ready BonBon; when we're ready."

She couldn't argue with that. Already, having one pregnant and hormonal female vampire was one thing-having two would be panic inducing.

They joined the others for lunch but they couldn't stop sharing secret smiles with one another.

VVVVVVV


	23. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22:**

 _2 months later_

Bonnie was grateful that she no longer felt the cold and her bright orange wool coat with the oversized peplum collar was for show. She had on a pair of skinny jeans and three inch bright orange wool designer boots. She paired it all with a navy silk blouse. Elena and Caroline couldn't believe the transformation in her over the last two months. Now she was sauntering across the square with the girls as they did their Christmas shopping.

Elena had on a pair of dark slacks and a caramel silk blouse with a dark blazer. She looked like a female version of Elijah. She pranced along in her black Leboutains. Caroline was on Bonnie's other side in navy tights with a red, blue, green plaid skirt with a navy sweater vest and sporting the whole school girl sort of persona with a pair of Ugg heeled boots. They were taking the opportunity to shop for the guy's gifts this afternoon as Christmas was about a week away.

The biggest change was Rebekah though who was now twenty weeks along and undeniably pregnant. She had been secluded away at the mansion for much of that time but today she was out shopping and Elijah felt that required a full show of force so she had Stefan plus three original bodyguards with her as she shopped in her stylish white maternity dress and Ugg boots.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Stefan worried.

"I promise you I'm fine," Rebekah sighed gently, "women have been doing this for quite some time you know."

"Not women like you," Elijah reminded her.

"I feel fine Elijah, honestly. I promise everything feels normal; here," she grabbed his hand and placed it against her belly for a moment and he felt the baby kick and push against his hand a moment later. "Does that seem like anything other than normal? Now I need to finish this shopping because at some point I am going to want to get off my feet which are undoubtedly swelling as we speak."

"We will return home soon Bekah." Kol told her as he was weighed down by the numerous bags she had him carry for her.

She nodded and as each one met the girls in the store they just walked into, Elijah had his eyes darken and his lips parted with what Elena was wearing.

Klaus saw this and laughed.

"She's the female version of you." Elijah walked over to her and kissed her. She smiled into the kiss, arms going around his neck.

"Didn't expect to see you here," She said to him once they pulled away.

"Christmas shopping for everyone," He told her as he pecked her lips.

She wanted to say something when there was a horrible noise coming from outside the shop. Elijah and Elena were the first ones out there and saw Jeremy bleeding from his nose and Davina looking at the witches who were giving Jeremy the aneurysm.

"Dammit! Bonnie!" Elena called back. Bonnie took one look at Kol knowing his orders were not to leave Rebekah for anything and then ran out to find the witches mid-chant and Jeremy in excruciating pain.

"Elena I'm sorry but I've got to borrow Elijah," Bonnie said a second before she gripped Elijah and began to channel the strength of Kol's blood through Elijah's. Her eyes went white and Elijah was shocked by the energy involved as she began to chant. She threw a protective barrier down around Davina and Jeremy before fighting to cut the other witches off. They were strong, very strong but she was a Bennett witch and a vampire. Suddenly she turned the tides without realizing it and the other witches were flung fifteen feet away into the side of a building. Elena ran to Jeremy and Davina while Bonnie was still clutching Elijah and he could feel her shaking.

"Are you alright Jeremy?" Elena asked him as she grabbed some tissues to wipe the blood off his face.

"Not so much." He groaned.

"You need to leave Jeremy." Davina told him sadly. "I've got days before the Harvest needs to be completed."

"I won't leave you," Jeremy said with determination, "What is The Harvest and what does it have to do with you?"

Meanwhile Rebekah had returned to doing her Christmas shopping for everyone. Caroline, Bonnie and Elena had only gotten about half their shopping done by now. As Rebekah was shopping Caroline tried to pretend that she wasn't watching Klaus being so protective of his sister. It was a side of him that had always drawn her in.

"The Harvest Ritual involves the sacrifice of four girls who are powerful to allow their magic bleed into the earth for the ancestors and we're resurrected." Davina explained to him. "One witch who didn't believe it was Sophie Deveraux and she told Marcel. One of his rules is no hurting children." She gave him a look. "Marcel and his vampires found them while the ritual was taking place and tried saving my friends but I'm the only one who survived."

Jeremy shook his head. "If you think that's going to scare me, you got another thing coming. I'm not leaving you."

Elena thought that they were too cute and didn't want anything bad to happen to any of them.

"You realize you're cutting them off from their ancestral magic," Bonnie said weakly. "They are going to keep coming for you until they run out of time. Elijah, you're probably the only ones strong enough to keep them safe. Every witch in the coven will try coming for them."

"I'm not letting anyone hurt her," Jeremy vowed.

"Elijah I can't - " Elena said. She couldn't even finish the sentence but he knew that she meant she couldn't lose anymore of her family.

Shopping was quickly finished and the whole group retuned to the mansion. Rebekah had gotten her gifts for everyone and had them wrapped. Now they were the first gifts nestled under the large tree. Meanwhile everyone was gathered in the study. Davina was curled against Jeremy who was feeling much better now that Elijah's blood had healed him. Elena was pacing worriedly and the atmosphere of the whole house had become tense.

"I need to get back to Marcel," Caroline said. "He'll be worried about Davina and I."

"I'll go with you Caroline." Klaus offered. "The witches might end up going after you." He added as she gave him a glance.

"Fine." Caroline said without emotions. Klaus stood up and had her walk out to the car.

Once they were gone, Elena and Davina were the only ones in the study.

"I know what you want to do." Elena told her. "You're going to sacrifice yourself for the ones you love." She smiled sadly. "I did the same thing when Klaus first came to Mystic Falls."

"Did anyone stop you?" Elena nodded.

"One went too far and forced his blood down my throat." Her eyes clouded. "Elijah knew what I wanted to do and he found a way for me to live but still be human."

"I don't want Jeremy to get hurt. You need to let me go. You can get one of the vampires to erase me..." Davina worried to Elena.

"He would never forgive any of us and I won't do that to either of you," Elena said, "I've seen the way he looks at you. I've seen my brother have about a dozen stupid crushes in his life but I have never seen him like this before. Davina that makes you family and we're a little crazy about family around here."

On the way back to the compound Caroline frowned as there was a construction worker detouring traffic. She wound up going down a narrow alley and then suddenly the car stalled out. Caroline tried to start it a couple of times to no avail and Klaus became nervous at their surroundings. This was planned. He whisked around the car in a flash and pulled Caroline out of the car before pinning her against it with his body as he again tried to assess the threat.

"Klaus, the engine died. Paranoid much? I just need to call a - " Caroline said but the words died as incredible pain invaded her brain and she cried out in immense pain as two witches appeared. Klaus felt the aneurysms but they weren't strong enough to truly affect an original. Caroline on the other hand was falling apart underneath him.

He looked around for anything that can incapacitate the witches when his eyes spotted fresh gravel. Picking some of it up, he threw it at the witches who ended up dead.

He saw how weak she was and flashed her to the compound where Marcel was waiting for her.

As soon as Marcel caught sight of the blonde in Klaus' arms, he went over to her.

"She'll be fine." Klaus told him as he passed her into the other man's arms. "The witches are demanding Davina to do the ritual."

"Where is Davina?" Marcel growled.

"She's safe at the mansion with the Gilbert boy. Bonnie thwarted the two witches who attacked them this morning but they're coming and they're coming hard. It looks like they're getting desperate," Klaus said.

"Shit." Marcel swore. "This isn't going to be pretty." He sighed and went inside with Klaus following him. "What's your plan of attack?" He asked once they reached inside and he laid Caroline gingerly on the couch.

"Kill the witches." Klaus said simply. "They want to-" he was stopped as Sophie walked in.

"The only way for the ritual to be completed is if Davina is sacrificed otherwise every witch here in New Orleans can't access the magic." She shook her head at him. "We used Ancestral magic." She added.

"I don't care what kind of magic you all use," he said as he looked ready to rip her heart out. "You caused my brother's girlfriend to use magic and my other brother's girlfriend's brother to get numerous aneurysms."

"I wasn't a part of that!" She shouted at him. "I went to tell Marcel what was going to happen!"

Klaus grabbed Sophie by the throat and thrust her against the wall. "You tell those witches that we will not be handing Davina over to them and they will lose if they think they can come at us!" Klaus growled.

"They have ways of forcing your hand," Sophie gasped out. "They could trap your sister for instance...that child she is carrying has to eat I'm sure." Right then Klaus wants to tear her apart. How dare they threaten Rebekah! He tossed her aside before he could seriously injure her.

"You don't touch her!" Klaus raged.

"I came to offer a solution," Sophie said weakly as she inched towards the doorway. "Your brother's solution for his girlfriend...it would preserve Davina's magic even if the ritual does not bring the kind of resurrection that the witches promised for her life. The witches would get their magic and Davina would cease to be useful to them. It's something to think about." She slipped out the door and was gone.

All Klaus could think about at the moment though was they had hurt his beautiful Caroline and they had threatened Rebekah and her unborn child. Klaus' eyes were a vibrant amber. He wanted to massacre them all!

"What is this plan that you are willing to try?" Marcel asked.

VVVVV

The moment that Klaus and Marcel entered the plantation house with Caroline and Sophie in tow, everyone was in the living room where Davina was and about to tell them that she was going to do the sacrifice.

"Sophie here has a plan." Klaus said as he went to sit on Rebekah's right side.

Elijah gave her a look. "What is this plan Miss Deveraux?" He asked as Elena stood in front of Davina protectively, baring her teeth at her.

Bonnie gave Sophie a menacing look that she could have only picked up from Kol. In fact Kol wasn't sure if he should be proud or frightened that his vampire genes were really coming to fruition in his little witch.

"I know it's not ideal," Sophie sighed, "but it's a solution and one that only you Mikaelsons can offer apparently." She looked directly at Bonnie. There was no mistaking it. everything in Sophie told her that Bonnie was a vampire and a powerful one at that but Sophie could also feel her powerful witch heritage very much alive in her. "It seems there is a way to preserve a witch's magic even beyond death. Davina could perform the sacrifice and turn. Her magic would be preserved and she would be resurrected even if the sacrifice does not bring her back as prophesized which I have great personal doubts about. The witches would get their magic and they would leave you all alone."

Davina nodded and Jeremy nodded as well. "I'll turn." Each one said but Jeremy took it a step further. "I want Elijah to be the one who changes me."

Elijah was staring at him with shock. Even after what he had done-to which he apologized to him for everything-he still wanted Elijah himself to change him?

Davina nodded. "I would prefer it if Elena would change me but if only a Mikaelson can do it, then I want it to be Elijah."

"You'll do better to have Mikaelson blood in your system," Kol said. "It's stronger and your magic will be tied to it."

"Jeremy no," Elena worried. "You don't have to do this...you're supposed to live a full life and..."

Jeremy walked over to his sister and took her hands in his with a gentle smile, "you were supposed to live a full, human life Elena. It was what we all fought so hard for but in the end what I finally realized with a lot of help was that your destiny was to live a full life as a vampire. You're really happy like this and you were meant to be with Elijah. I love Davina, Elena and I don't want to leave the two of you to watch me grow old and die. If my family are all vampires now then why not become one myself?"

Elena pulled her hands from him and pressed a hand to her face, "excuse me." She hurried from the room.

"Now you know what it was like to be her up against you," Caroline told Jeremy and Bonnie nodded.

Elijah went to find her. He barely passed the library when he heard her cry and he went inside. Seeing her slumped against the bookshelf holding his own personal books that he had published, broke his heart. Moving over to her, he wrapped his arms around her.

"We are going to make sure that they get to experience this life."

She sniffed. "As much as I wanted them to have a great human life, this is the only way to save them."

Once they returned to the living room, Jeremy hugged her tightly.

"Between you and everyone else, we'll be good." He promised.

Little by little, her switch moved an inch upwards.

Slowly, she was regaining her humanity again.

"Many lifetimes surrounded by family won't be bad Elena. Caroline and Bonnie don't seem to have any regrets. Are you regretting being a vampire?" he asked her gently. It would break his heart if she said yes but he had to put his emotions aside and be there for her.

"No." She whispered to him. "I'm not regretting it-I just didn't want to be sired to Damon."

He placed a gentle kiss to her lips. "I know. I'm regretting that."

It was true-he regretted that she was sired to Damon of all people. He wouldn't have cared if it was Rebekah, Stefan, Caroline, Klaus or even Kol's blood who changed her. Anyone of them would have been better.

Meanwhile Davina was sitting in the kitchen drinking a soft drink and Bonnie joined her.

"What is it like?" Davina asked after they had been sitting silently for a few minutes.

"Actually, to be honest with you it's amazing," Bonnie confessed. "I was really worried going into it but I trusted Kol and he was right. You can't tell anyone else how this happened though. Everyone has to believe it's a fluke or there will be a bunch of power-hungry witches beating down our door."

"Did you lose your connection?" Davina worried.

"Well you see I had already lost my connection through my foolish use of Expression but I have it back now. I didn't have it at first and it was sad and a little scary but I'll be here to help you through it I promise," Bonnie said, "now I'll warn you when it first happens you won't have anything at all and then it won't feel right when you do start getting it back. I had a few mishaps and then things began to fall into place and now I am more powerful than ever."

"How did it happen? You becoming both?" Davina asked.

"A spell." Bonnie whispered to her.

"Do you think the spell would work on me?" Davina asked again.

"I'm pretty sure that it will," Bonnie said. "We're going to try at any rate. You're going to have to go into the ritual pretending that you're really going to die and that you don't have any of these safeguards in place. Would you like some of us to come with you; to be there?"

"I want all of you to be there." Bonnie's heart would have stopped if it was working like a human's.

Two days later was the planned exchange on December 20th. The morning dawned cold and grey which was sort of how Bonnie felt as she watched Davina and Jeremy taking a morning stroll in the backyard. He had her pinned against a tree and was whispering words of comfort in between kisses.

"You're worried," Elijah broke the silence as he joined Bonnie.

"They're so young," Bonnie observed.

"Caroline and Elena aren't any older," Elijah pointed out.

"But you and Klaus are over a thousand years old; wiser and clearer heads prevailed. In my case I was especially counting on Kol's wisdom and advice."

"Well my wisdom and advice is that they're going to be fine. They have all of us to help them and care for them," Elijah replied.

"You know this is going to be hard on Elena."

"Yes, Jeremy and I have already discussed it," Elijah said.

"When are we going?"

"We're going at nine," Elijah said.

"I'd better get to work then," Bonnie said and she left Elijah to watch over Jeremy and Davina. Meanwhile Bonnie found Stefan and Rebekah and reinforced her protection spell on Rebekah's baby.

 **VVVV**


End file.
